WORKERS' CASE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 187, 25 August 1937, Page 7

WORKERS' CASE

— PrPB? Asaoptnhon V

"Basis of Distribution Needs Altering" STATISTICS PR0DUCED

(By Telegraph-

I AUCKLAND, Last Night. When the liearing of the standard • wage arguments was resumed in the 'Arbitration. Co'urt this morning, Mr. D.| ll. MacDoHald, sectetary of the CanterIbury Employcrs' Association, askedj iwhether or not the advocates might dis-.' [cuss the question 6f holidays. ■ Mr. Justice O'Began said the Court [was not going to curtail discussion. If j ispeakers referred to the question of i holidays then the Court did not propose] to check theni because it was difficult; to keep strictly within the rules ofj relevancy. "Our invitation was to assist in making a pronouncement on wages and in making that pronouncement we will make no Teference to holidays," his Honour added. "How,eVer, if speakers have prepared what they are going to say we do not propose to interrupt them, at any Tate if they adhere xeasonably to the limits of relevancy." The third of the prepared statements submitted on behalf of the workers was read by Mr. P. M. Butler. He said the Court stood in a unique position in the economic and social life of the nation, for under its immediate jurisdiction were 90 per cent. of the producers of all the wealth of the nation and the Court in the course of its duty was called upon to measure out to these producers a portiOn of the national income which was considered to be their duo in relation to the services rendered. In piaking a decision in a case of the nature Of that now before the Court it was presumed the Court would take cognisance of the. general economic position of the country, the tendebcy of improving or degenerating economic condition indicated by trade and business statistics and equitable distribution of the I national income. He discussed the jvarious aspects of the national incomo, iincreased factory production in recent lyears and growth4of building and con■struction. "Inadequate and UnjUst" "We strongly submit that the proportion of national income measured out to the producers in the form of wages is totally inadequate and unjust," he added. While aggregate wages and salary payments had increased with the national income they had not done so in proportion and the proportion would not be altered until the basis of distribution was altered by the Court itself. Tn departing from the conservative and orthodox methods adopted in the past iin fixing wages it was submitted that this should be done on tho present occasion. A table showing that of 5451 workers employed in the building industry in 1935 a total of 1897 averaged from £1 to £4 a weck was produced by Mr. Butler. He said that buildings were a ,sure sign of progress and prosperity and jbad alwavs been taken as an indication |Of the prosperity of New Zealand. The ifigures quoted showed that the building •industry was again on the upgrade but that the condition of the workers erectxng them was completely out of proportion to the wealth and amenities provided. "We are not in this case suggesting any wages," he said. "We are endeavouring to state the facts of the case and jto present a survey ofivtho conditions a3 they exist to this Court. We submit strongly that the wages fixed by the Court should be such as to return to the worker a fair share of the wealth which he has created and to ensure him and his family a decent standard of living in keeping with the prosperity of the nation. "An inquiry by the Govenpnent Statistician into the cost of living in Wellington City showed that for a man, his wife and three children between 3i and 15$ years, the weekly expenditure in I'ebruary this year was £5 2s 9$d," Mr. Butler continued. ".This included 3s 10$d for the empioyment promotion levy and tax. " "A Public Scandal." His Honour: "It is a public scandal that any man who has nothing to live on but his labour should have to pay taxes." Mr Butler said that the total menitioned allowed £1 6s SJd a week for housing, but it would be shown that rents in Wellington for four and fiveroomed houses ranged from 35s .to £2 a week. Thus tho baro subsistence level for any family of five required £5 5s a week, but it was held that the Court should graut more tlian this and should make possiblc a decent standard of enjoyment. In additiou the Court had to eonsider what additional amount it would grant eaeh particular class for tho time absorbed in learning a trade or pr~fcssion, unpleasantness of work, abnonnal arduousness of work, dangerous nature of work and other reasons. Payinent on a weekly basis was advocated by Mr Butler. Ho also analysed returns showing that the timo logt through wet weather and(fiolidays without pay in tho building trade resulted in a loss of from 16 to 17 per cent ,of the mon's total earnings. Thus if the Court desired to allow an actual ' 'poverty-line" basis of £5 it would accordingly mako the minimum under £5 15s. * Bascd on information supplied by representative tradcs, iinna and mcrchants, a table was submitted by Mr Butler to show the weekly cost of the barest essentials for the family of a man, his wife and three children. The items were: — Boot iepairs, 3s; coal, 4s; rent (lowest), £1 10s; meat, 21s 3d; bread, 5s; vegetables and fruit, 13s; fish, 10 d; hospital and medical, 4s; groceries (dry only), £1 10s; light, ls ■ .o^^ai^eatiniL§nd fiesMs jgaUk

aua cream, 3s ld — making a total of £5 9s 5d a week. No allowance was made for clothing, furniture, new boots, entertainments, beverages, sports bodies, rates, education, newspapers, laundry supplies, linen replacements, crockery replacements, books or library subscripticns, insuranc.e, lodge and union, upkccp of churchcs, wireless, postages, railway or tram farcs and many other items. Mr Jamcs Moulton, secrotary of the New Zealand Carpenters' and Joiners' 1 Industrial Association of Workers, gavc details of the average earnings of members of his organisation. He said tho average amount earxfd VM *kan the basie wagc, ' • -