TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 85, 11 April 1911, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

"So many men, so many opinions," may apply to definitions of a A Living "living wage-," but it i&pesWage. sible to arrive at a broad generalisation as a useful working, hypothesis. For example, Mr. Justice Higgins, president of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court, giving judgment in a dispute involving unskilled labour, stipulated that the wages shoald be sufficient to provide proper food and clothing, shelter, and "a condition of frugal comfort estimated by current human standards." The definition is elusive, but its principle is plain, enough to plain people. ' The logical deduction is that an industry must be able to pay a "reasonable wage" or go to the wall, and that the minimum, standard for adults is to be fixed not ; by ths- needs of a single man, but the needs of a. man and his family. | Normally the Arbitration Court is not concerned wish what a particular in-* dustry should be able to pay, but what it can fairly pay when all tho evidence has been weighed. If the 1 order of a "living wage" goes beyond the industry's strength, then the general- element of sociology enters into the economic problem. The difficulty is graye — so* grave as to require a long 'treatise or a big book for its elucidation — but because the difficulty is grave it should not be shirked. The Arbitration Court should be able to make a useful beginning by endeavouring to specify tfee minimum "living wage" necessary for th& maintenance of a worker (and family) in health and strength. The problem, has to be attacked, even if finality is very remote. Representatives of the General Labourers' Uaion, after a fruitless The Court endeavour to persuade or the delegates of the City Corporation? Council to agree, in conference, that the daily -wage should be 9s instead of Bs, appear • to think that the council has failed in a duty to the workers and the public. Mr. Reapdon has suggested the short cut of* ■•an increase in the rates to furnish the extra, money, hut surely this is a Peter-and-Paul argument. "Who would pay the extra rate at the finish*? Would not all the workers catch a full share of it? Tho conference was projected close up to a general municipal election, and in such a case the "ptuT" normally would bo in the direction of placating the worJs«rs. Yet the conneiTa repreeeata,-.. ,

tives have not yielded to Mr. Reardon's gentle moral suasion. The council's spokesmen prefer lo have the matter settled by the Arbitration Court. This is a proper tribunal when differences of opinion are such that the disputants argue in a circle. Both the direct and the indirect ratepayers should be glad to see the dispute investigated by an independent court. The old allegations about workers' lack of confidence in the court were repeated last night. In the same building, the Town Ha.ll, representatives of a section of Labour submitted that Labour was not getting a fair deal, and Mr. Herdman held, in effect, that Labour ■was getting too many plums from the industrial pie, and leaving only the crtist for the employers. Is it seriously believed by the Labour spokesmen that Labour, as a body, has not- been fairly and squarely treated by Parliament and the courts during the past twenty years ? The outside world doos nob believe that statement any more than New Zealand believes it. When the Government, intoxicated with plain water (for electrical Send for energy), was trying to Mr. Blow, spread its delirium among the public, an important debate occurred in the House of Representatives. It was expected that Mr. L. Biiks, who had hurriedly drawn up the reports for the Government, would be at the elbow of the Hon. R. M'Kenzie to keep the current of the Ministerial thought on the right wire. One looked, and lo! it wag Mr. Blow. He is not an electrical ekpert, but he was " it " for Parliament and public to see and wonder at, if not to admire. Comes> another problem, an intricate architectural enigma, the peculiar, almost amazing, conditions framed for the competition in designs for Parliament Buildings. Mr. Blow is not an architect-, but why should tha.t matter?' Is it not another fit case for the old formula : "Sand for Mr. Blow." Sir Oracle has spoken, and the complaining architects are invited to for evar hold their peace. Are they not too stupid to see that umddlement can be meritorious; that vagueness is fairness ; that haphazardness supplies a thrill in a national work ; that it ib better to make architects guess And grope in the dark than with proper information in the common unromantic tight of day; that it is natural that ihe Government Architect should comon his own conditions, which others condemn? These" things and other things the private architects have been too Wind to see, but the scales have fallen from theip eyes now. Mr. Blow has spoken, and Mr. Blow is the ne plus ultra: Finis. At one time there was danger of a mist 0 f misunderstanding "For the about the Children's Children's Hospital, which had its Sake." origin in the warmth of generous impulse and love of little children. Happily the cold drab element that was clouding tho splendour of a great achievement has blown away, and th& monument to a remarkable movement stands clear under the suii. Mr. Ward, Miss Palotta, and other members of the company were properly honoured yesterday at the Town Hall. The Mayor (Mr. Wilford) did his part well, and thus the- meeting became a very happy family. The citizens were glad to see Mr. Wavd and his helpmates, and Mr. Ward was glad' lo see the citizens. Modestly he hinted that if ever time and the hour made another call for a rally here for the ( liLtle ones, . and he happened to be handy, he would be pleased to do a man's work again. Yesterday's pleasant assembly is another reminder of tho irresistible electrical power of fervour, enthusiasm. One may have a beautiful machine, coldly perfect for organising, but if the power is lacking the machine is just a dead, sad thing. People may argue about which is the more important — the machine or the power. They go best together, but this is the outstanding fact : A machine can do nothing without power; power can do something without a machine. For all time tho Children's Hospital will keep Mrs. Wilford, Mr. Wilford, and Mr. Ward in Wellington's grateful remembrance.