Federation Seeks Yet Another Order

Chronicle (Levin), 19 February 1948, Page 6

Federation Seeks Yet Another Order

Press Assoclation)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Feb. 18. Constitntional authority for a further case for a general order wage increase to be taken t.o the Court of Arbitration, is to be 'sought from the Govemment by the New Zealand Federation of Labour. This decision was reached at a meeting of the national council today. The text of the resolution earried was : — £ "That the national council meet the Govemment and request that provision be written into the Economic Stabilisation Emerg.ency Regulations in a manner that will leave no r'oom for a eonflicting interpretation, for the federation to state a case to the Court of Arbitration for a general order wage increase and also permit federation advoeates to claim a share of the national dividend." Every increase .in wages under the present sct-up, placed a family man relatively wo-rse off, said the seeretary, Mr. K. Baxter. If the /family man was to be benefited, there should be a general increase in children 's allowances. . Mr. Baxter presented figures to demonstrate hoxv workers with families actually were relatively worse olf with every pound of wage increase. It was pointed out. by Mr. R. Mclntyre (Otago) that some time ago the Minister of- Labour, Mr. MeLagan, stated that the present regulations were broad enough to permi*. a ponndv a week wage increase. The wlu lo- questiou had been jumping here and there for Ipngenough, said Mr. W. B. Richards (Dunedin). "We have all agreed that Ave were diddled out of 10s a week under the last order." He suggested that tlie Ministers of Stabilisation and Labour be asked to make a statement 011 the scoj>c of the regulations. Mr. F. Langley (Christchurch) urged that a new price index should be compiled. "Every housewif'e knows how much the cost of'living has risen," he said. It was deeided to write the Minister of Stabilisation, Mr. Nordmeyer, and Minister of Labour, to attend a conference but a me,eting was later arranged with ' tiotli "Minisiers" 'at Parliament Buildings. A recommendation to the Govemment that a Royal Commission be set up to investigate the present cost of living in New Zealand, was unanimously approved. Moving the proposal, Mr. P. M. Butler (Wellington) said there sliould be a new approach to the wages question by the trade union movement. The time had come when tliere sliould be a public inquiry into the cost of living. ^lr. Butler recalled a private investigation made in 1937 when a recommendation ivas made that families with two children shoulc^ receive a minimiun of £5 10s weekly. At that time the average wage ivas about £4 10s, but sinee then wages and the cost of living had risen. Iiowever, reul wages were not much better thun when inen were receiving £3 to £4 Aveekly. Mr. Butler urged that the national executive consider the trends of wages in New Zealand and investigate every means of bringing them into line with th;e real economic position. A desire for Labour candidates for Parliament to have a sound industrial baekground, Avas emphasised by delegates. It was deeided that the national executive be empoAvered to draAv up a panel of approved candidates for Parliament Avith a trade union baekground and Avofking c'lass understanding.