LABOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14216, 4 June 1910, Page 5

LABOUR.

| Mr Huglies, Federal Attorney-Geno-nil, defended tho Wharf Labourers' (deep-sea), Sydney, before tlie Wages Hoard tho other day, against a claim ■of the employers for a reduction of wages. Sir Hughes said that tho cost of living had increased to such an.extonfthat in almost every appeal 1 mod© to the Industrial Court and to tlie wages hoards special consideration had been paid to that question, and increased wages had )>eeii granted. As a result wages had increased not only' relatively to tho cost of living, but alep through tlie greater earning power of the employes*}. There is a marked increase in the productivity of the individual, and, in addition, therp :is a general recognition of the rigift of the worker to a greater proportion '/$t tho value of the article produced." sll Ihi'oS circumstances pointed to one —that the tendency was to pay .a Ynaj* wore wages than he received, (jay ejght years ago. According to the other side, tho ideal to ho reached, was. regularity of omuloynient. That was not the ideal of his clients. He had nvar heard it !id" ,, m , f"l Ivl'iire. "W'hnt \\j3l do want." Mr Hiiehei remarked, regularity of pay-meat."