ADJUSTMENT OF WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1930, Page 8

ADJUSTMENT OF WAGES.

The explanation given by the secretary of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, Mr. T. O. Bishop, in his address to the Taranaki branch association should remove many misconceptions in regard to the suggestion concerning Arbitration Court awards recently made by a deputation to the Ministry. It will be remembered the deputation asked for legislation thin session enablimr the Court to vary the basic wage in °any industry where it was clearly shown that the state of the industry warranted an amended scale. The request was interpreted by organised Labour as an insidious attempt to reduce wages 1 generally, and a counter-de-putation waited upon the Government. As no legislation has been introduced it appears that the Labour views nave had the greater weight with the Ministry. But. as Mr. Bishop pointed out, in asking employees to accept lower wages there was no intention ot lowerim° the present standard of living, or to°ask wage-earners to accept the lower rates for more than a short period. Before the Court would be justified in amending a basic wage it would require to be satisfied that Capital as well as Labour was making a sacrifice in order to preserve an industry from ruin, and the 1 need for lower wages would have to be imperative before the Court was likely to amend one of its own awards. The explanation should give the most ardent trade unionist food for reflection. If industries cannot carry the costs of production, in which wages usually rank next to raw material, those industries are doomed and unemployment will increase in consequence. Organised Labour’ must dinabuse itself of°the idea that lower wage.s would bo sought for the sake of giving Capital a higher return for its investment. Preservation and advancement of an industry are for the benefit of both employer and employee, and there are few employers in the Dominion who do not recognise this. ■ The Only hope for a resuscitation of industry lies in the completest co-operation of wage-earner and employer. It would be far wiser to bring this about without delay and without friction, for it is perfectly evident that the force of circumstances will make some readjustment necessary if economic recovery is to be possible.