The Reason Why.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 5964, 27 July 1912, Page 4

The Reason Why.

A forceful contribution to the discussion. that has been proceeding in London with regard to the industrial unrest caroe from a New Zealand 11.P." a few- weeks ago. The Daily Mail had referred to the discontent of the workers and had raither gloomily what it really was that Labour wanted. The Conservative newspaper was disposi d to belierve, it seamed, ,that the men who were disturbing trade and industry did net know themselves what .object they had in view. The Now Zealand:!' offered to explain the mystery. "May I suggrst." he write, "and, as a visitor, I ido so with submission, that an official rut urn which affects eight 'million adult workman supplies at any rate an important part of the n ns-wcr ? Four per cent, of these workers get less than 15s a week, 8 per cent. g<et -from 15s to 20s B week, 20. per cent. from. '2o:' to 255, 21 per cent from 15s to 30s, 21 per cent from 30s to 355, 13 per cent, from 35s to 40s, 7 per cent from -10s to 455, and :6 per cent over 45s Cutting the question as broadly as possible, are these rates, having regard to the cost! of living, sufficient '! Do they proVc m're than a n existence wage ? Is there a margin that will permit of parents giving their young a reasonably fair start ? Over four million adult, workmen g»et under 30s a week. O.in t'hev on such wages marry ami bring up families who will be -a cfirdit to themselves and to the State? The ; /answer to this question ittust be tjitfoer vc» or.no? which -is it?" The Daily Mail did not attempt to answer the question put to it by its correspondent, and apparently its .readers wwe not prepared to say that the ■vvagr-s wore sufficient. Dean Inge wrote that in his opinion the cause o! the whole trouble was to I>, foui.d in the overct owded conditions of Rritain ami the fact that the nation was " breeding chiefly from inferior stocks." Perhaps his explanation should b.-> read in conjunction with that of Zealander.