The Star. FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1919. INCREASE IN WAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12571, 7 March 1919, Page 4

The Star. FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1919. INCREASE IN WAGES.

f_J The Arbitration Court has definitely given up any idea, it may have entertained that it has any responsibilities in regard to the cost of living question. Hitherto the Court has examined very carefully tho claims of various unions for increases, and has repeatedly pointed out that in granting increases, under pressure, it was merely filling a part in “ a vicious circle.'’ In tho latest cases, however, the workers have gone to the Court with tho trump card in their possession, j This was supplied by on Act of Parliament, which directed the Court to take into consideration any alteration in conditions affecting tho industry concerned, and any increase in the cost of living affecting workers engaged in such industry. The unions contended that this was a mandatory direction, and the Court has accepted this construction. The unions called as their principal witness tho Government Statistician, who produced his statistical calculations showing that the purchasing power of tho sovereign had materially decreased. Tho Government Statistician merely supplied proof of a fact which is within the knowledge of every household. Tho £ouvt has laid down the principle that iii the absence of any countervailing consideration wages of workers should for the future bo increased in correspondence with the increase, since file making of tho several awards, in the cost of living. Applications to tho Court, in accordance with this ruling, will hocomo purely formal. Tho unions will present their claims, along with their previous award and the cost of living figures, and ,ihe Court,will do the rest. It is needless to point out that there is going to be no relief in tho cost of living by this process, Its whole tendency will be to further increase - tho burden, and it is nob beyond possibility that unions may make annual applications for tho review of their awards. In connection with the drivers’ dispute, it may be noted that the Employers’ Federation is requesting persons"employing contract carters not to insist on the strict terms of their contracts, but to pay the difference which has to be paid in wages to tho drivers. This simply means that tho increase is not to be paid by the employers, hut by the customers. “Passing it on” has become a positive science in the Dominion’s economic structure, and it will be continued until something breaks. The Arbitration Court had some interesting remarks concerning the duty of the Government and tho Board of Trade, and it is to he hoped that notice will be taken of its suggestions. The Government has tinkered with the cost of living, hut there has been little done in the way of comprehensive and constructive action. Its most recent contribution w'ns the legislation which tho Court now finds itself hound by, and which it is giving effect to under protest. Among the lower paid classes of workers the Court’s action wall be hailed with not unreasonable satisfaction, but those who have no avenue of relief teust regard the position .with much amber n. The middle class man, employee or in business, is tho chopping block, and he will have to pay.

The “ go-slow ” policy which lately has become so. pronounced in Australia is nob confined to private enterprise, though possibly it is directed mainly against the private employer. While the I.W.W. poison has permeated all classes of industry, one would have thought that State and Federal em-* ployees would have hesitated about allying themselves with such revolutionary tactics as those espoused by I.W.W. adherents. Recently the workmen at the Cockatoo Island dockyards, which is a Federal undertaking, were seized with a desire to reduce their quantity of work, and as they scornfully turned a deaf ear to all appeals to speed up, the dockyard manager dealt with the position with a sterft suddenness which eventually had the desired effect. He summarily dismissed over five hundred hands, consisting of boilermakers and assistants, and then sat tight. He pointed out that the day’s work of a riveter had been 295 rivets per man per day, but that this average had dropped to seventy-three per day. His protests had resulted,in the rate being raised to an average of sevcnty-fiv6\ and a half, and beyond this the men would not go. Of course the usual cry of victimisation and a great strike unless the men were restored to the positions they had forfeited by their own action was immediately raised, but publio opinion was so dead against them that within a few days they surrendered. Iho manager agreed to their reinstatement on their pledging to maintain a stated rate of work, mid that he should have the right, if he felt inclined, to introduce overtime shifts and piece work, all of which the men had previously opposed. In this case the public was not inconvenienced, consequently the employer was in au immeasurably better position to deal with tho situation than he would have been had tho “ slow-goers been employed in an industry in which stoppage of work would have seriously affected various sections of the community. During the influenza epidemic period in the Dominion statements were made that advantage was being taken of th« position to increase the price of various articles which were in general demand, citrus fruits and disinfectants being especially mentioned, while it was also stated that the undertakers had not only unduly raised tho customary price for service, but had made a distinction between clients, AVhat littlo investigation there was into the complaints was of a somewhat perfunctory character, as in the time of stress no one appeared to have th* time, disposition or energy to attempt, a serious effort to prove 'or disprove tho allegations. If tUe public was exploited to the extent report said it was tho expemnee was in keeping with what had occurred, was ocouring and subsequently occurred elsewhere. For instance, Australian papers report cases of profiteering similar to those

which were alleged to have existed m the Dominion. But perhaps tho most heartless kind “graft" arising from the epidemic is reported from America, where, in Ohio, physicians and nurses were said to have made exorbitant demands for their professional services. The State Board of Medical Rcgistrution and Examination gave heed to the complaint and authorised an inquiry. This was to have been hold shortly after tho mail left, and was to include charges of exorbitant prices asked for scrum and antitoxins, and their administration by physicians.