WORKERS' WAGES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 75, 23 November 1922, Page 5

WORKERS' WAGES

"CUT” OF THREE SHILLINGS.

THE COURT’S PRONOUNCEMENT

Per Press Association. Dunedin, November 22

Tho Arbitration'Cbuft’s pronouncement with regard t G the general order based on the movement in the cost of living for the half year ended September 30, 1922, was made available to-day. The pronouncement is! as follows:

“The Court made an interim pronouncement on October 0 last, in which it was stated that tho statistical (investigation of the movement in the cost of living for tho six months ended September 30, 1922, disclosed a fall that, measured in wages, would represent a reduction of 8s a week in the adult female wage, and Is a week in tho Wage of juniors. The Court held a special sitting at Wellington on November 16 and heard j representatives of the employers and the workbrs on the question whether a general order should be made in the terms of the statistical finding referred to. Tho employers did not ask for a reduction grea+er than that disclosed by th© cost of living figures, and tho workers asked that no reduction should be made, and alternately that an increase should bo granted. “The Court has now' decided to make a, general ordhr reducing the rates of remuneration payable under the several awards and industrial agreements now in force by 3s a, wteok in the case of adult males. Is 6d a whok in the eas© of adult females, and Is a week in the case of juniors. We have made two ex- / , ceptions to th© general rule. One is I in the case of apprentices receiving loa, 20s, 265, 30s, and 40s a {week j respectively in their first, second, j third, fourth, and fifth years. Their j rales ar© regarded as standard rat’es. , The other exception is in tho case , °f female employees in tea rooms and j restaurants, olhor than members of j the kitchen staff, and in the case of > jnurneywomen in the trades who re ceiv© at present not more than £2 2s a wbek. i

“This exception is made because of the high rooms rents stall charged to these workers. House rbnts have increased slightly during the past six months, and the increase has been allowed for by us in the computation of the general cost of living, but room rents appear to have increased to a greater extent, and this accounts for a large portion of the expenditure of the workers in question.”