WAGE INCREASES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23528, 17 June 1938, Page 10

WAGE INCREASES

RELATION TO OVERSEAS COMPETITION A MATTER FOR LEGISLATURE Evidence of the difficulties of employers through overseas competition does not justify the withholding of wage increases, states the majority decision of the Second Court of Arbitration in the New Zealand clothing trades employees’ dispute. Mr Justice Hunter makes this clear in a memorandum attached to the judgment in the dispute. The dissent of the employers’ representative (Mr V. Duff) from this opinion is also attached. The decision is that overseas competition is a matter for Parliament rather than for the court to consider. It is worded as follows:—“ We have given careful consideration to the evidence called by the employers to show that the industry, is in an unsatisfactory trading condition, due mainly to competition from overseas, and a majority of the court has come to the conclusion that the court would not be justified in withholding the wage increases granted for the reason that competition from overseas, which is assisted by the payment of lower wages than those current in New Zealand, is a matter for the Legislature rather than for the court to deal with.”