COST OF LIVING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 117, 14 November 1939, Page 10

COST OF LIVING

HIGHER WAGES WANTED

TO KEEP PACE WITH

INCREASE

MR. NASH'S ATTITUDE

The increased cost of living was discussed by Messrs. P. M. Butler and R. Harrison on behalf of a deputation from the conference of the New Zealand Labourers' Federation which waited on Ministers yesterday. A requesi was made for periodical increases in wages to enable workers to keep paci? with increased costs. Replying, the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) submitted figures to show that while the cost of living had increased, wages had increased simultaneously. He claimed there was a margin in iavour of wages. „ Tne deputation was1 introduced to the Ministers by Mr. J. Glover, national president of the Labourers' Fedr eration. The Ministers present were the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash), the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry), the Minister of Defence (the* Hon. F. Jones), the Minister of Housing (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong), who also represented the Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. G. Webb), and the Minister of Justice (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason). The Department of Industries and Commerce was represented by art officer. The delegates asked for the abolition of Scheme 4b, which provides for farm improvement work by contract, or, as an alternative, a fairer basis of fixing prices. MEDICAL BENEFITS. The Social Security Act . was ■ discussed by Messrs. J. Arthurs and Wil[son, who informed the Ministers that it was the desire of the conference that the'full medical benefits should be ! put into operation and that the standdown period of seven days before bene- | fits were available should be abolished. ; ' ,■ The conference expressed appreciation of the granting of payment for Anzac Day and Labour Day to workers employed by the Housing Department. ; This payment was arranged by the ..Minister of Housing. | Other matters discussed included an ' adequate living wage, time lost | through wet weather, and matters af-fecting-men on Scheme 13. Mr. Parry, as Minister in charge of benefits under Social Security, said that the Department was / sympathetic regarding cases of hardship caused by. the stand-down period and such cases were being dealt with under the provisions of the Act. The introduction of the full medical benefits was receiving close attention, Mr. Armstrong stated. / Mr. Mason said that he had not yet been able to go into the question raised regarding the builders' and general j labourers' award but would do so as ■ soon as possible. '.; ' j