HIGHER WAGES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23019, 22 April 1938, Page 11

HIGHER WAGES

PRONOUNCEMENT ÜBGED NO COMMENT BY MINISTER MATTER OF DELAYED AWARDS [BY TKLECRAPH —I'IIKSS association] WELLINGTON, Thursday A reply that the question was not for him to comment on nnd the Government had never considered it 'was mauo by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, when asked to-day wliether he could outline his attitude to the decision made by tlie annual conference of the New Zealand Federation of Labour to ask the Government to instruct the Courts of Arbitration to make a pronouncement in favour of an increase in wages, just as the previous Government had instructed the Court to make a similar pronouncement reducing wages. Referring to the dissatisfaction expressed by the federation with delays occurring in the issuing of awards by the Courts, Mr. Armstrong said there had previously been enormous arrears in work piled up for Courts. This had to gome extent been accentuated by the number of short-dated awards. Many parties were hardly out of Court before, they were wanting to get back again. "A number of awards have been made for less than a year for sections of the workers and employers with u view to national awards being obtained later," said Mr. Armstrong. "The more national agreements there are, the easier it will be for the Courts." The Federation of Labour decided to bring the complaint about the delay under the notice of the Government and to draw its attention to section 87 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, which provides that exceptin special, circumstances awards are to be issued within a month of the hearing of claims. Referring to his relations with the federation, Mr. Armstrong said ho was not taking any exception to its representations. "Jt seems to be taking up quite a reasonable attitude as far as 1 am concerned." lie added. "There seems to be complete harmony "now and an entire absence of faction fights. It is all to the good."