COST OF LIVING IN N.Z.

Southland Times, Issue 24163, 27 June 1940, Page 14

COST OF LIVING IN N.Z.

APPLICATION FOR GENERAL ORDER

CASE TO BE DISCUSSED BY FEDERATION

(Special to The Times) WELLINGTON, June 26.

What has become known as the cost-of-living case, the hearing of which has been adjourned by the Court of Arbitration at the request of the workers’ representative, is to be further discussed at a meeting of the national executive of the Federation of Labour early next month. It is stated that the Government has had certain discussions with the federation. The exact nature of these discussions is not disclosed in industrial circles, though a hint as to their import was conveyed by Mr Justice Tyndall, who, in adjourning the case, remarked that the court appreciated that there were extraordinary conditions and circumstances. It is also believed that the federation met the Government’s wish by postponing the case because of the bringing down of the Budget this week. . , . , It has been pointed out in industrial circles that in the last war the then Government introduced legislation by which the unions were unable to secure wage increases. The cost of living having increased, however, the Government was approached at the end of two years and agreed to the granting of cost-of-living bonuses. The object of the present application to the court for a general order was to enable whatever increase might be made to have immediate application. Another aspect of the matter is that in recent months opinions expressed at provincial conferences of the Farmers Union have made it evident that the farming community has indicated its willingness to accept the same guaranteed price as last year, which was the same as in the previous year, though this means a cut in income in most cases. This was qualified by the contention that it could be done only if other sections of the community were prepared to take up a similar attitude. It would seem likely that the dairy industry council has reached a similar decision and has communicated it to the Government.