FEDERAL WAGES CUT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 225, 21 April 1933, Page 3

FEDERAL WAGES CUT

In the course of the hearing at Melbourne recently of the claim by 35 unions, before the Federal Arbitration Court, for restoration of the 10 per cent, cut in wages. Chief Justice Dethridge said that, if the Court had power, its awards would, if necessary, take away the superfluous income of single men to make adequate provision for married workers with children. This was impossible, however, he added, until legislation was passed enabling the Court or seme other body to do it. The Chief Judge expressed this view in the course of a discussion of the diet necessary for a working man, wife and three children. Everyone, he said, recognised it was essential that the wage .worker should receive a wage sufficient to enable him to buy the quantity of food and clothing for himself and family which medical authorities considered necessary. If the basic wage was not adequote to provide the working man and family with necessaries, there was only one remedy. Single men would have to give up their superfluous commodities.