AWARD WAGES

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1931, Page 6

AWARD WAGES

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES SUSPENSION ADVOCATED. WELLINGTON, August 2(5. “It is urgently necessary that tho primary industries should be removed from the jurisdiction of the Arbitration Act. as those primary producers who are under awards cannot maintain tho necessary staffs for the successful working of their properties under awards a s now existing,” stated -Mr H. D. Acland in his presidential address at tho annual meeting of the New Zealand Sheep owners’ and Farmers’ I 1 (’deration this morning. “If the temporary exempt on from primary industries was considered necessary in lf)2By it is doubly so at the present time when we have the incongruity of the sheep-owner being compelled under awards of the court to pay impossible high rates lor some sections of farming labour, while be is being begged to employ labour under the Unemployment Board’s proposals at an price that can he fixed by mutual agreement. This clearly demonstrates that tho finding of the Conciliation Board, in 1.008, which reported that it was not possible equitably to fix rates of pay for farm labour was sound, and nothing but the abnormally high prices during recent years has made it. possible, for the sheep-owning industry especially, to carry directly or indirectly the high wages rates fixed under awards of the Court. Good men arc begging for work but lor certain (lasses of work they cannot be employed owing to court awards, the consequence being a sustained and increasing dram on the unemployment funds, which in turn means a further tax on primary production generally. If ever freedom from restrictions imposed bv the Act and award was required by farmers, it is at the present time, and there would appear to be every justification for the suspension of all awards of the (OUit affecting the primary industries.