RATES OF PAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 22 July 1929, Page 8

RATES OF PAY

ON PUBLIC WORKS CRITICISM ANSWERED MINISTER’S STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE (By TejVgraph) (From “Iho Mail's” I’arhamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, 20th July; A vigorous defence rates of pay on Public Works was made by the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. E. A. Ransom) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. The Minister said that he had been particularly surprised to hear t lie Leader of the Opposition say that rates as low as (is and Ids were paid, ami lie hoped to-have an opportunity of discussing that matter with Air Coates at, some other time. All he could say in reply was that if sueh rates were paid it must be on some job which had been started under the Reform Administration, and on which he had not been able to catch up. Air Coates: “Oil, no.” The Minister said that on every job on which he had been able to catch up he had seen that the men were able to earn decent wages. He could not find any evidence of the low rates alleged by Mr Coates as having been paid. Air Coates: “I will give you hundreds of them.” The Minister: “The Right lion, gentleman must he in receipt of information that I have not been able to obtain. I have asked the Department to make a search and they can find no instance which, will bear out the statement of the Right Hon. the Leader of the Opposition.” Aft- Coates: “I will give you the contracts and schedules.” Air Ransom, said that on the Gis-borne-Wairoa railway work, at the Gisborne end, the highest wage paid last month was 25s o.jd, and the lowest rate 6s Id, making an average of 13s Sd. Out of all the works in the schedule, that was the only one where the average, rate paid was below 14s a day. They all knew that on public works there were some men engaged who could not earn us much as others under the group system. The men sorted themselves out into groups and those of better physique made mure than I lie standard wages. Aleu at the tail end had to hand themselves together and take contracts, and it was impossible to say. that a lower rate should be paid to the better men because of the others. Air P. Fraser (Wellington 'Central, warmly): “The Government promised a living wage to every man, and you are not doing it, on your own admission.” The Alinister: “When the lion, member for 'Wellington Central cools down a bit I will resume my address.” Afr A. AI. Samuel (Thames): “I would not stir them up too much.” (Laughter.) THE WEAKER AIEN • The Alinister said that the Government 'did. and would, endeavour to find work for the weaker men who were not able to enter into the group system of contracting. He had given instructions to that effect to his engineers. Wherever there were men who were physically unfit to hold their own and enter into contracts under the group system they were, as far as possible, to be employed on individual jobs for which they would be paid at day rates. It was impossible, however, to carry out that principle to any considerable degree. He had noticed that on one group the men received only 10s 3d, but there were only two •men in the group. He had not the •slightest doubt that they were men who could not be included in another group and that the engineer had found work for them.. Probably the physique of the iuen was not such as to allow them to earn more than an average of 10s 3d. The average rate of pay was considerably nidrc than 14s per day and in maiiv-cases it was over ill. Air D. Jone's (Alid-Cantefbury): “What are your low rates?” Reform voices: “No reply.” The Alinister: “It is the policy of this Government to pay a fixed rate of pay.” Voices: “Are von doing \t.”' The Alinister: “Evidently the membur for AJ id-Canterbury does not take The slightest notice of the figures I have read. Does he not believe them, or does lie not. understand them?” M’lie Alinister of Justice (the Hon. T. M. Wilford): “That is more like it.” HIGH WAGE STANDARD “This Government does not stand for a low wage rate,” proceeded the. Minister of Public Works. “We recognise that the workers are entitled to a fair rate of pay, and, apart from that, it'would be a weak policy for any Government with any knowledge of the requirements of this Dominion to advocate a !ow wage standard. This Dominion is entirely dependent on primary production, and if there is one thing essential to the primary producers more than another if is that the wage earners of this Dominion and of the world shall be in receipt of a good •standard rate of pay. Give, them industrial peace and a satisfactory wage standard throughout the British Empire, and they will be assured of their annual income. So long as the fanners are assured of their annual income the prosperity of this Dominion is assured. If there is a farmer who does not stand for a satisfactory wage standard 1 am ashamed of him. I have impressed on them the desirability of maintaining a satisfactory wage standard so that their own prosperity and the prosperity of the Dominion may be assured.”