NO HIGH WAGES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 November 1941, Page 7

NO HIGH WAGES

FOR YOUTHS OR GIRLS. CONDITIONS IN CHRISTCHURCH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, November' 4. There appear to be very few cases if any of youths and girls drawing the high wages mentioned in the messages from Wellington and Auckland published this week. This was indicated today in inquiries made in all interested quarters, including the Trades Hall, the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association and individual firms. Evidence of no single case of unduly high payments could be discovered. It was stated in 'the Wellington message that the high wages mentioned were being paid in a stocking factory but a representative of one of the largest hosiery firms in the Dominion operating in Christchurch said that there was no similar case in the industry to his knowledge. This opinion was endorsed by the director of another big Christchurch firm, an engineering firm engaged in important work including the manufacture of munitions. He said that there was no chance whatever of such high wages being paid in the engineering trade. The only likelihood of. unusually high wages being paid was in dangerous tasks associated with such jobs as enamelling and they were few. Mr R. T. Alston, secretary of the Christchurch Manufacturers’ Association, said that to the best of his knowledge there was no flagrant case at all of high wages being paid in Christchurch. The State Placement Officer in Christchurch (Mr J. R. Brown) said he had not heard of anything like the wages quoted from Auckland and Wellington being paid here.