N.Z. STANDARD OF LIVING

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27395, 7 July 1954, Page 13

N.Z. STANDARD OF LIVING

MR WALSH REPLIES TO MR HOLLAND

“VALUE OF WAGES ON DOWN-GRADE”

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 6. Mr F. P. Walsh, president of the Federation of Labour, said today that no doubt the audience of National ■Party members addressed by the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) last evening had all murmured, “Hear st, wh ? n J he ‘ r leader told ‘hem that the standard of living in NewZealand was advancing faster than that of any other country. . ‘I can agree,” said Mr Walsh, "that in so far as Mr Holland’s audience was concerned, it would be a correct Statement. However, it was far from the truth for the great mass of wage and salary-earners “The latest figures of the consumers price index show that the value of wages is constantly on the down-grade,” said Mr Walsh. -Since September, 1953, the effective weekly wage has been reduced by A 7 per cent Because of this continual decline, the P^, c L asl V« of wage-earners can provide less of the necessaries of life i^A S K me & nu l k -. e ‘ c ' is established by the official statistics issued oy, the Government ‘‘The extra refrigerators, motor-cars, and carpets are not going into ordin--57, working-class homes,” said Mr Walsh. And lam certain that the yotmg couples who today have to face fantastic prices for building sections houses, and furniture are not in a’ position to buy luxuries. “The real reason for the big increase m luxury goods is that the total wealth of New Zealand, which is increasing, is going in even larger proportion to groups other than wage and salary-earners and social security beneficiaries. J

It is quite obvious that Mr Holland does not know what goes on in this level of society,” said Mr Walsh !t was proved in the Arbitration Court last year that wages had to be increased in order to get back to the living standard of two years previously. Today, we se e the effective wages slipping again. There is no scope here for the great increase in luxury Mr Holland describes. ‘"Die answer, clearly, is that the fortunate ones are not the wage-earners or the social security beneficiaries, but the privileged groups that are the e . of Holland’s supporters,” Mr Walsh concluded. I