INTERESTING FIGURES

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20738, 23 February 1939, Page 6

INTERESTING FIGURES

BUILDERS’ HIGHER COSTS WAGES IN RELATED TRADES Interesting figures dealing with wages-rates and hours of work in industries related to the building trade affecting general construction costs throughout New Zealand were tabulated in the annual report of the executive of T New Zealand Federated Builders’ and Contractors’ Industrial Association of Employers, presented at the opening of the association’s annual conference in Hamilton yesterday. Statistics quoted by the executive are given below, the wages-rates being given per hour and the working week in hours. The rates and times compared are those ruling in a 1931 and in 1938. The figures given were: Bricklayers, wages, 1931, 2s 4 id; 1938, 2s 10-id; hours of work, 1931, 44; 1938, 40. Carpenters, 2s 33d, 2s 9fd; 44,*40. Electrical workers, 2s 3d, 2s 9d; 44, 40. Engineers, 2s 3d, 2s 9d; 44, 40. Furniture trade, 2s 3d, 2s 9d; 44, 40. Labourers (builders’)), Is lOd, 2s -id to 2s 7d; 44, 40. Painters, 2s 3d, 2s 9d; 44, 40. Plasterers solid), 2s 4£d, 2s tOld; 44, 40. Plasterers (fibrous), 2s 3d, 2s 9d; 44, 40. Plumbers, 2s 3d, 2s 9d; •ii. 40. Stonemasons, 2s 4J, 2s 1 Old ; 44, 40. Rapid Rise in Wages Commenting on the working conditions under recent legislation, the report stated that the effect of the diminution of hours of work in the Dominion -on production was to a degree offset by the absorption into industry of increased numbers of workers and by the introduction of more highly developed technical and mechanical processes. Thus industrial production statistics showed steady increases. By far the greatest advance, however, was that in wages, which had risen in many manufacturing industries at a far more rapid rate than production.

The trend in New Zealand had been to make the 40-hour week general, while the trend in overseas countries had been to extend hours now that employment, production and wages were at recovery levels.