WAGE RATES CASE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 54, 5 March 1942, Page 4

WAGE RATES CASE.

ADJOURNED TILL MONDAY "INCREASE ESSENTIAL," SAYS WORKERS’ ADVOCATE P -A-' , Wellington .March 4. Concluding his statement before the Arbitration Court yesterdav afternoon, on the application of the New Sealand Engine Drivers' Union for a tenoral order increasing wage rate ).v 9.6 per cent, Mr. A. McLagan, the corkers' advocate. submitted that idequate information had been Maced before the Court to show that economic and financial conditions meeting trade and industry in New Zealand were \ cry sat isfaclol \ in,. Justified an increase jp wages. It had been shown that from June, dBO, to cernber, 1941, the retail irices index rxse by 7.1 per cent. That • ; o not laxe into account, said Mr. VlcLagan. the increase in rents since Yugust. 19-11. nor the deficiencies of he index in ihe present circumstances. for which the applicants askxl the Court to make an alowance of per cent. ■'V\ e th *i efo? • k Ihe Court to nake an order i;areusing rales of vages tpy 9.6 per cent.,” Mr. McLagan .-oncluded. “We say that such an irder is .justified on the ruling ecoloniic and financial conditions and hat it is essential if the wage earners are to maintain th 'ir level of proluction. The effective wage rates are low approximately at Ihe 1935 level md threaten the maintenance of the ate of production. The workers have given generous service Io the eomrnunity in recent years- lhe official figures proves this. The workers can answer the further calls now made an them, but Io do this it is absolutely essential that rates of wages should be increased.” When the Court sat this morning, Mr. W. E. Anderson, advocate for the ?mployers, asked for an adjournment af the proceedings until Monday, w hen the sole witness he proposed to call would be available. The employers’ case, he added, would take about a day and a-half. It was decided to resume the hearing on Tuesday morning-, Mr. McLagan drew the Court’s attention to a leading article published in the Wellington morning daily, which, he alleged, was contempt of Court, in that it was intended to prejudice the Court and the public against the workers’ application for increased wages. Mr. Anderson said he could not agree that the obvious purpose of the article was to prejudice the workers’ case. The article was based on remarks made recently by the Leader of the Opposition, and was typical of articles that could be seen in practically any newspaper in the Dominion. He personally had had nothing to do with the publication of the article. Mr. Justice Tyndall said that the Court would give consideration to lhe matter and would let the parties know later what view it took.