A SMALL INCREASE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19783, 5 March 1927, Page 8

A SMALL INCREASE

FREEZERS’ WAGES NEW AWARD FILED. POSITION OF THE FARMER. [ Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, March 4. The Arbitration Court’s award in the freezing dispute was filed to-day. It announces a few new principles, grants neither the ten per cent, increase sought by the workers nor the ten per cent, reduction sought by the employers, but has granted a small increase, chiefly to the minimum wage workers, which brings them into alignment with workers in other industries, without appreciably affecting the position of the companies. With regard to the position of the farmer as the third party, this is dealt with by Mr Justice Frazer at some length. He insists that wages cannot be allowed to fluctuate in response to sudden market depreciations. He remarks that in many parts •of the world, particularly the United States, the farmer has found himself in difficulties more serious than those of the New Zealand farmer. Co-operation as a Remedy. The remedy that can best meet the case is the adoption of more scientific methods of farming and marketing, with co-operation wherever possible. Mr Frazer also remarks on the resolutions that were passed and communicated to the Press calling on the Government to pass legislation to repeal the Arbitration Act. It was proper and legitimate for interested bodies to agitate for the repeal of the Act or the abolition of the Court, but it was unfortunate that they should have chosen a time when an impending case was before the Court, to pass resolutions. It might have been only a coincidence, but it was to be regretted that at such a time concerted action should have taken place that might have had the appearance of being intended to influence or intimidate the Court. The New Rates. An important memorandum signed by Mr Frazer, has been issued by the Court. It concludes: “I am satisfied that to refuse an increase of Id per hour to the lower-paid time workers in freezing works would bring them below the standard fixed by the last award, and by the Comt’s pronouncement of .1925 they are entitled to an increase of Id per hour, bringing their rate up to 2s Id per hour, which, it should be noted, is less by l]d than the rate conceded by the companies in 1920-21. I do not think that the more highly paid time workers are entitled to the same increase as the minimum wage workers. They are entitled only to increases of a halfpenny per hour in some cases, and three farthings per hour in others. Insofar as slaughtermen are concerned, an increase of 2s 6d per 100 is not justified, though it has been granted by the Auckland companies, but I think an increase of Is 6d per 100 will.place the slaughtermen in the same relative position in reference to time workers as they occupied under the last award. This will make the rates 40s per 100 for sheep and 37s 6d per 100 for lambs, or 44| per cent, and 334 per cent, respectively above the 1914 rates.