“A CRUSHING HANDICAP”

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12613, 25 November 1926, Page 4

“A CRUSHING HANDICAP”

THE BASIC WAGE QUESTION An emphatic protest against the continued use by the Arbitration Court of the existing formula for the regulation of wages, was entered at yesterday's Chamber* of Commerce conference. It was pointed out that, notwithstanding the existence of a seriously adverse national trade balance, an increased rate of wages had become automatically payable. The formula was based on the assumed domestic requirements of a man, his wife and two children, and as only II per cent, of the wage earners possess these responsibilities, the remainder were, on this basis, consequently overpaid. Such overpayment approximated £3,000,000 per annum, imposing a crushing handicap upon industries of the Dominion, and increasing the cost of _ living to those with domestic responsibility. The opinion that the present method of assessing wages was the root of all the'“Dominion’s economical difficulties, was expressed by Mr H. W. Hudson (Auckland). Mr E. R. Ball (Gisborne) urged that the subject be referred to the executive for report to next conference, as he considered they had insufficient information before them concerning the wages payments to various industries. This suggestion, however, was not agreed to.