COST OF LIVING

Southland Times, Issue 18837, 2 June 1920, Page 5

COST OF LIVING

THE VICIOUS CIRCLE. j ARBITRATION COURT JUDGE’S COM- | MEiNT. j (Per United Press Association.) | DUNEDIN, June I. I Sinking generally on applications for I increased wages and bonuses before the Ar- ! bit.ration Court to day, Mr Cookson, the , employers’ representative, said since the i Court's last pronouncement some industries J had hail to close down, and others had rea--1 died the breaking point. If this caused tin- ' employment it. might have a serious effect. ; The President said no doubt the position ; was difficult. The irony of the situation [ seemed to be that the workers were assist - ' ing greatly in increasing the cost of living against themselves. The one remedy of ail economists was more production. The wor--1 kers were insisting upon higher wages and shorter hours, and production was less. He : did not know where it was going to land ! them.

1 At a later stage Mr J. T. Paul said that I the increased cost, of living was hearing just j as hardiv on apprentices a* on journeymen 1 They were in the majority of caaes flu sons and daughters of the poorer classes.

The President said that the difficulty was to interfere with contracts entered into for a period of (true. He appreciated what -had been sain, and the Court would look into the muter.

Mr A. Martin, representing the tailoring j trade, said that apprentices did not come 1 from the poorer classes’. In some rases i.i i the tailoring trade apprentices had had a ! a high school education. There was a ‘ great danger of bnjs and girls getting too

1 much money. , Mr Paul remarked that he had addressed j the Court on the general question.

ALLEGED EXCESSIVE PROFIT.

II AW ERA, June 1. A charge of having sold a pot of vaseline at a prire that was unreasonably high w;thin the r terming attached to the word by the Board of Trade Act, was brought against Georg;; K Tail, chemist, before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M. The alleged offence consisted in selling a pot of Cheeseborough vaseline r.t fifteen pence. Defendant pleaded not guilty. The case was unfinished when the Coiat adjourned.