THE VICIOUS CIRCLE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 212, 2 June 1920, Page 6

THE VICIOUS CIRCLE

HIGH WAGES AND COST OP LIVING. By Teloizranh—Press Association.' Dunedin, Juno 1. Speaking generally on applications for increased wageß and bonuses, before the Arbitration Court to-day, Mr. Cookson, employers' representative, said that since the Court's last pronouncement some industries had had to close down, and others had reached breaking point. If this caused unemployment it might have a serious effect. The President said no doubt the position was difficult.' The irony'of tho position seemed to be that the workers were assisting greatly in tho increased : cost of living against themselves. One remedy of nil economists was inoro production; the workers were insisting upon higher wages and shorter hours, and production was less. He did not know where it was going to land them. At a later stage, Mr. J. T. Paul said that the increased cost of living was bearing just as hardly on apprentices as on journeymen. They were in a majority of cases the suns and daughters of the poorer classes.. i Judue Stringer said that the difficulty was to interfere with contracts entered into for a period of time. 'He appreciated what had been said, and the Court would look into the matter. Mr. A. Martin, representing the tailor. in(j trade, said that apprentices did not come from the poorer classes. In some cases in the tailoring trade apprentices had a high school education. Thero was a great danger of boys and girls getting too much money. Mr. Paul remarked that he had .ad. dressed tho Court on tho general queslion,