PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 July 1916, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

MINISTERS' ANSWERS TO MEM BEIRS.

COST OF LIVING,

Mr Payne to asK the Minister ol Labour whether he will this session introduce legislation making it obligatory on all employers to give ail employees ia 10 per cent advance in onier to help to meet the increased cost of living. (Note.—A specific instance of the unfairness of the present position is given in the aas© oi masons employed on the Government building, who have only had eighteen weeks' work in the last twelve months, and during seven years their wages hove only been advanced 2d per week, whilst their labourer* have received: the ID pel cent increase. Also tlie Government has recognised the necessity of increase of 10 per ;ent by die;' recent action of granting this increase to Gevernment employees.) Tlie Right Hon. Mr Massey repined: The statement made by tho honorable member in referring to a specific instance is hardly correct. The wages ard hours of the men in question are those feed by the awards of the 'on it of Arbitration, which in its last award, made in May, 1915, gnantodi an increase over that made in 1908 of id per hour—viz., from Is 8d to Is Bid —in view of the amount ot time lost by workers on this industry. The ordinary hours of work were, it is true, reduced from 45 to 44, resulting in a net increase of only 2d, per week, but the alteration in the hours was agreed to by the workers' union. The question of an increase in the minimum wage of workers on, account of the higher cost of living had come before the Court on several occasions when new awards have been applied for. and trio Court lias already in tevei'il in stances granted a higher rate. A number of local bodies andi employers have already agreed to ei war bonus. Further legislation is not considered neces-