WAGES CUTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22911, 19 June 1936, Page 12

WAGES CUTS

RESTORATION IN FULL ALL DOUBTS REMOVED HINT OF FURTHER INCREASES iPeb United Peers Association) . WELLINGTON, June 18. A reply to doubts which have been expressed in certain quarters regarding the Government’s intentions to restore to the full all wages and salary cuts as from July 1 was made by the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) to-day.

“The legislation will be passed as soon as Parliament meets, and it will he retrospective to July I,” he said. Mr Savage recalled the statement which he ipade in the House earlier this month,, when he said that during the recess it was the, Government’s intention to prepare legislation for the restoration ofj the wages cuts, the public service salary cuts, and pensions as from the beginning of July. “I said that deliberately, so that employers of labour would know what to expect and would not have any reason for saying that we ‘ sprang ’’ ‘ something on them,” he said.

It xvas the’Government’s intention to restore all ciits made during the depression, Mr Savage stated. That, in effect, would,bring the level of wages, salaries and . pensions up to that of 1931.

“We are pledged to do more than that,” the Prime Minister continued. “ We are pledged to make available to the people the benefit of every increase in production. 'lf that is not done there is no reason for increasing production. It can only be done by increasing incomes for the Hank and file of the people —increasing wages, salaries and pensions. To say; we are going to restore the cuts and stop there is not telling the whole story.” • Mr Savage, said that, had there been time, the wages restoration legislation would have been passed before Parliament adjourned. The Government felt it was bound to pass the legislation as soon as it could be done,, and the next best thing was. to make it retrospective.