FALL IN COST OF LIVING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2509, 23 November 1922, Page 3

FALL IN COST OF LIVING.

WAGES REDUCTION,

Dunedin, Last Night. Tlie Arbitration Court’s pronouncement with regard to the general order based on the movement in the cost of living for the half-year ended September 30, 1022, was made available to-day, and is as follows: ' "The Court made an interim pronouncement on October 6 last in which if was stated that statistical investigation of the movement in the cost of living for the six months ended September 30, 1922, disclosed a fall, that, measured in -wages, would represent a. reduction of 3/h week in adult male wages and 1/G a week in the adult female wage and 1/- a week in the wage of juniors. The Court held special sittings at Wellington on Novemberlfi, and heard representatives of employers and the workers on the question whether a general order should-be made in terms of the statistical finding referred to. The employers did not ask for a reduction greater than that disclosed bv the cost of living figures, and the workers asked that no redaction should be made and alternatively that an increase should be granted. The Court has now decided to make a general order reducing the rates of remuneration payable pnder the several awards and industrial agreements now in force by 3/- a weekin the case of adult males, 1/6 a week in the case of adult females, and 1/- a week in the case of juniors. We have made two exceptions to (he general rule. One is in the case of apprentices receiving 15/-, 20/-, 25/-, 30/-, and 40/- a week respectively, in their first, second, third, fourth, and fifth years. Their rates are regarded as standard rates. The other exception is in the case of female employees in tea-rooms and restaurants other j llftan members of the kitchen staff, and in the case, of journeywomen in the trades who receive at present j not more titan £2 2s fid a week. This j exception is made because of the! high room rents still charged to the- j se workers. House rents have in- j creased slightly during the past six j months, and this increase had been j allowed for by us in computation of : the general cost of living, but room j rents appear to have increased to a J creator extent and these account j for a large proportion of the expenditure of the workers 'mentioned.”