N.S.W. WORKERS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1929, Page 6

N.S.W. WORKERS

BASIC WAG® OUT. TO BE REPLACED BY FAMILY ENDOWMENT/* CUT. (Australian Press Association)

SYDNEY, October 29. The Premier, Mr T. Bavin, announced in the New South Wales .Legislative Assembly to-day that tlie Government would not gazette the .new. basic wage of £3 I2s 6d, on the (ground of the; probable serious eoo:nomic consequences likely to arise .from so drastic a reduction in the' diving wage. The Government, he ■said, at the same lime felt that the Court’s decision was perfectly logical, having regard to the. fact that the basic wage was intended to apply only to a man and wife, without, children. Mr Bavin pointed out that the question of providing for children came within the scope of the- iChild Endowment Act, which the Government had decided, it was impossible to continue-in its present form. This announcement caused an i-.p----roar among the Labourites, who caused a tremendous pandemonium. Mr Bavin added:. “We have come to the conclusion that it is useless in all the Circumstances, to continue cho system of child endowment. Wo propose, therefore, to abolish it and confer with the Commonwealth Government on the subject. We also propose to suspend the operation 7 of the new wage, and direct the Industrial Commission to fix a basic wage for a new unit, consisting of man and ffife with an average number of children.