VERBAL DUEL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24782, 5 December 1941, Page 6

VERBAL DUEL

ECONOMIST AND LABOUR LEADER THE GENERAL ORDER CASE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 4. The continuation of the hearing in the Court of Arbitration to-day of the application to increase wages by 7.8 per cent, to cover the increased cost of living, resolved itself into a sixhour duel between Professor A- H. Tocker, dean of the faculty of economics and commerce at Canterbury University College, and Mr J. McLagan, who is presenting the case of the applicants, the New Zealand Engine Drivers and Firemen's Union. On Wednesday, Professor Tocker made a 12.000-word statement on the economic and financial conditions of New Zealand. To-day. Mr McLagan cross-examined him in detail throughout the day on the contents of this statement. In all, scores of questions and answers on economic matters were recorded. The court will proceed tomorrow with the hearing of the reply by Mr W. J. Mountjoy, representing the New Zealand Employers' Federation, to the submissions made by Mr McLagan when he presented the union's case to the court last week. Asked by Mr Justice Tyndall, president of the court, if his opinion did not mean that the, workers would have to work 25 per cent, harder and get nothing for it, Professor Tocker replied: " That is what war means. Someone has got to pay for it." Mis Honor said that was probably what was meant by Mr Churchill's reference to blood, tears, and sweat.