BOROUGH WORKMEN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 10 June 1913, Page 5

BOROUGH WORKMEN.

(To' the Editor)

Sir, —It is to be regretted that you cannot find out the true facts, regarding the wages paid to the* Borough, workmen before you misrepresent the Borough Council, either wilfully or negligently, regarding the same, as you have 11:10 in your leaderette of to-day's Ago. As a matter of fact, the minimum wag© paid by the Borough Council for labourers has been, for many years, Is lid per hour, with one exception, which has exceptional circumstances connected with it. It is to be .regjv.ud that Palmerston North's Reform Mayor lias only now followed-the le,;d, which the Masterton > Borough Council recognised as a minimum wage years ago. I question whether the Mpyor and Councillors of Palmerston North will thank you for bringing to thp public notice the fact that' they have been so glow in recognising that 9s . per day was littleenough to pay;,any man under the present condition® of living.-—I a*n, etc. A .j JAS. M. CORADINE, f ., > Mayor. •Masterton,'June 9, 1913.

[The Mayor is right, and he is wrong. The Masterton' Borough Council hag been paying 9s per day, but it has not made this a minimum wage, as Palmerston North Has done. We are of opinion that even 9s per day is too little for a man with : family to live upon in Masterton. Does the Mayor that it if sufficient?— Ed. Age.]