ARBITRATION AWARDS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 April 1931, Page 3

ARBITRATION AWARDS

(Associated Chamber of Commerce o New Zeala lid). Tim wage reduction measures included in the Government’s Finance Bd' will, when brought info effect. e'V • prompt, and welcome relief to a great number of businesses which under Lis ■ present conditions are barely able f;■> carry on.' Though opponents of wage reduction pretend to believe the ecut.rnr.v, those who will receive a larg ' share of the benefit include the primary producers. Hie hardest pressed section of the community. Their direct expenditure upon wages is not impressively large, hut they help indirectly to pay a very large share. The cost of everything they buy is affected by the wages paid to those who make or hand!" it. The wage-standard of the country affects also the farmer’s return from all he s'dls; who while the nominal price lie receives is, in general, fixed outside New Zealand, he has to pay transport aiid handling and merchandising charges that are regidat"d hv tie' local wages. A wage scale which lias, through economic (Imnges become extravagant is thus shown as a definite handicap to production, whereas wages can only he maintained if production is stimulated. Even more important than wages, is the fabric of conditions and restrictions with which awards have hampered almost every form of industry in the country. Unnecessarily strict lines of denii'i- at ion between trades apprenticeship conditions, ironclad rules about hours of work, and many other restrictions plac" manufacturers under a handicap which makes il impossible for them to compete in the market against; the products of less hampered manubiet urers abroad. Many of the conditions imposed upon industry, moreover, may he tolerable enough for those who are in business in a large scale, hut. impose impossibly lare-e overborn)/ costs upon smaller yet equally worthy concerns. These are bread ''arts which hav • only to he pointed out to meet with tlm' approval of moderate and somdhl" Labour lenders who.’ notwithstanding the official opposition of tlie T.ehou" Party, mav be relied upon to recognise the imperative need for r r '-iew a.’id readjustment -of Arbitration A wards.