WAGES & COSTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 July 1938, Page 6

WAGES & COSTS

MINISTER SAYS WORKERS ARE BETTER OFF. POSITION OF SMALL DAIRY FARMERS. (By Telegraph —Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A claim that the incomes of workers and small dairy farmers were ahead of increases in the cost of living was made by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon D. G. Sullivan) at Rangiora last night. He quoted figures supplied by the Census and Statistics Office, “A Department that knows no politics,” in support of his contention. The Census and Statistics Office had supplied him with figures which showed that the all-groups index of retail prices for April, 1938, was 13 per cent above the average index for 1935, and that the wages-rates index for adult males 1 at March 31, 1938, was 23.9 per cent above the average for 1935. Therefore at March 31, the workers were nearly 11 per cent ahead of the increased cost of living. "As farmers and small dairy farmers have received a greater increase in income than ordinary workers, they too are much ahead of the increase in costs,” said the Minister. “This is the first time in history that the time lag has been in favour of wages as against costs.” The aggregate amount of wages and salaries paid for the year ended March 31 last was £98,600,000, equivalent to an increase of 50.1 per cent over the amount for 1935. More significant was the increase in the volume bf the production of goods, Mr Sullivan said. As between 1935 and 1937 the increase in factory production, outside of the agricultural, pastoral and dairying industries, amounted to 18.6 per cent. Those additional goods could not have been purchased by the people if the increased cost of living cancelled out, as was alleged, increased wages and income, and they were not thrown into the sea.