WORKERS WAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1922, Page 5

WORKERS WAGES.

THREE SHILLINGS “CUT." THE COURT’S PRONOUNCEMENT. SOME EXCEPTIONS MADE. TO MEET EXCESSIVE RENTS. By Telegraph.—Press Assoeiattvn. Dunedin, Last Night. The Arbitration Court’s pronouncement with regard to the general order based on the movement in the cost of living for the half year elided September 30, 1922, was made available today. The. pronouncement is as follows: “The Court made an interim pronouncement on October 6 last, in which it was stated that the 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 3s a week in the male adult wage, Is Rd a week in the adult female wage, and Is a. week in the wage of junior©. The Court held a special sitting at Wellington on November lu and heard representatives of the employers and the workers on the question whether a general order should he made in the terms of the statistical finding referred to. The employers did not ask for n •’•eduction greater than that disclosed by the cost of living figures, and the workers asked that no reduction should be made, and alternately that an increase should be granted. “The Court has now decided tn make a general order reducing the rates of remuneration payable under the several awards and industrial agreements now in force by 3s a week in the ease of adult males. Is fid a week in the case of adult females, and ]s a week in the eaflo, of juniors. We have made two exceptions to the general rule. One is in the case of apprentices receiving 15s, 20s. 2.55, 30s. and 40s 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 than members of the kitchen staff, and in the case of journeywomen in the trades who receive at present not more than £2 2s 6(1 a week. “This exception is made because of the high room rents still charged to 'these workers. House rents have increased slightly during the past six months, and the increase has been allowed for by us in the computation of the general cost of living, but room rents appear to have increflflcd to a greater extent, and this accounts for a large portion of the expenditure of the workers in question.”