"Taranaki Central Press” SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1937. YOUTHS AND THE BASIC WAGE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 434, 15 May 1937, Page 4

"Taranaki Central Press” SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1937. YOUTHS AND THE BASIC WAGE

It is encouraging to read the statement of the Acting-Prime Minister, Hon. P. Fraser, that the Government is “profoundly impressed” with, the seriousness of the position for youths affected by the incidence of the basic wage. It is also encouraging to know that the Minister desires “to receive the co-operation of the commercial community and of those organisations interested, to assist the Government in finding a solution to this problem.” It should scarcely be necessary to remind the Acting-Prime Minister, or the Acting-Minister for Labour, Hon. P. C. Webb, who intends to call “a conference of all interested as soon as possible,” that the problem is one of the Government’s own making and that the simplest solution is the descission of the legislation that created it. Nor should it be necessary to indicate again to the Government the absurdity of an enactment that includes provision for every youth of 2 1 working under an award of a wage sufficient to provide for a problematical wife (extremely problematical at that tender age) and three hypothetical children—a provision in the latter case rendered even more ridiculous by a study of the most recently issued statistics. Since, however, it is improbable that a Government wedded to the basic wage and its curious anomalies will listen to the voice of reason, other ameliorative measures must be suggested.

The position at present created is that employers are not prepared in many cas_es to gamble oh the prospective value to them of the youth, however promising, who is approaching his majority. The result is that thev are seeking young boys whom they may train in their particular business to become somewhere near worth the wage when they have reached the age of 21. The incidence of the basic wage bears particularly hard on youths who are training at the university. The background of theoretical knowledge that these youths obtain through university training must stand them in good stead in their later careers. But the acquisition of that knowledge generally prolongs their educational period until they are near! ng their majority or past it; and few employers are prepared to pav the full basic wage to youngsters without some practical experience in the business they wish to enter. In the result young men either come from the university to enter on a discouraging and ofte n hopeless search for work, or sacrifice a university career for the immediate chance of work.