LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA

Taranaki Daily News, 26 March 1932, Page 10

LABOUR IN AUSTRALIA

TIMES OF TROUBLE PASSING. EFFECT OF THE DEPRESSION. The opinion that labour troubles in Australia may shortly become a tiling of the past was expressed by Mr. R. Vicars, woollen manufacturer, of Sydney, who arrived at Auckland by the Marama on a short holiday visit. “The world-wide depression has brought 1 about a considerable change in labour conditions,” Mr. Vicars said. “Owing to high exchange and duties, importations into Australia have been reduced to a minimum. This means more local manufacture, but with the public purchasing power reduced by falling prices for primary products, costs of production have to be kept as low as possible. “In most parts of Australia, the working classes have awakened to a true realisation of the position. They know now that high wages are impossible, and they would far sooner work for a living wage than have no work at all. Fantastic union demands are now' out of the question.” It had taken Australia some time to realise that labour troubles would not help toward th© recovery of the country, Mr. Vicars added. New South Wales was still on the 1929 labour standard, ■but that State under the Lang administration was exceptional. Australians had given up wondering what Mr. Lang was going to do next. They merely waited patiently and tried to make the best of matters.