THE BASIC WAGE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 153, 16 July 1937, Page 15

THE BASIC WAGE

Under-Rate Workers' Permit MANY DIFFICULTIES A discussion 011 tlie difficulty of obtaining an under-rate workers ' permit took place among members of the Napier Cbamber of Commerce last evening. Members viewed with concern the fact that owing to the operatiou of the basic wage, it was impossible for youths or girls approaching the age of 21, and who had been for ^,ny reason debarred from working up to that time, to obtain employment. • ''The employer has to make application for Mmself and to the undoii secretary, ' > said the secretary, M* R. M. Chadwick. "The eecretaries will sacrifice anyone fojr a principle. A man can go away and starve for all they care— they just don't care. It is all right in the case of an old man, but not with i young man." Mr Chadwick instanced the ce.se of a young man with about a year's experience in a Napier drapery firm wha had been put out of employment at the time of the earthquake. When the shopping area had emerged from ' ' tintown," efforts were made to re-emplov himj and at the age of 23 he was placed m employment with the same firm. It was then found that at the end of a year's experience he was entitled to the basic wage, and had to be dismissed. Several applications for an under-rate had not been successful. The acting-chairman, Mr H. E. Edgley, suggested that some measure of relief might be granted of the age lipiit wero made 25 years. Although it might be some time before this were achieved, some result might eventUally come. It whs deeided to write to the Asso* ciated Chambers of Commerce asking that the efforts to feffoct some improvonient in the posifcion regarding the basic wage be continued.