LABOUR AND HIGH WAGES.
THE AMERICAN SYSTEM. The Minister for Finance (Hon. Downie Stewart) hit the Labour Party on the raw yesterday in the course of his reply to the debate on the Budget. He said, in his advocacy for the introduction of high wages in New Zealand the Labour member for Lyttelton (Mr J. McCombs) had worshipped at the shrine of Henry Ford. The Minister repeated that if the Labour Party embraced not only the high wages policy but the other concomitant elements, not one of its representatives would sit in the House next session. The Minister asked Mr McCombs whether in his claim that high wages offered the solution to the present difficulties, he would adopt the American policy of abolition of unionism, the open shop, and the abolition of the Arbitration Court, and what was known in many parts of America as the “yellow dog” ticket which was to be signed as an undertaking not to join a union.
The Minister proceeded to quote one of the doctrines to which reference had been made, and on reaching a mention of high wages was again interrupted by the member for Lvltelton.
The Minister contended that if the Labour Party wanted to extract and advocate one point from the doctrine of the American capitalists they must combine with it the other elements of the industrial system if they were to get results. Mr McCombs: That is your assumption. The Minister: And it is borne out by results. Proceeding, the Minister emphasised that the remuneration of those interested in industry must come out of the output of industry. No artificial increase in wages would be sustained unless increased productivity fed’ the reservoir from which the resources were derived. The American Federation of Labour, it was reported, had agreed that increased productivity was the only basis for increased wages and shorter hours. There'must be reference to the output of the industry when a wage increase was considered. The view of Mr McCombs was lopsided and one-eyed, and one which he would not sustain in the eyes of mankind. If the American system of high wages were to be introduced here, with it must be brought all the 1 conCommitant circumstances. If Mr McCombs attempted to do that he would not find a seat in the House next session.
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3835, 23 August 1928, Page 2
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387LABOUR AND HIGH WAGES. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3835, 23 August 1928, Page 2
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