EQUAL PAY, UNEQUAL WORK

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21223, 20 September 1940, Page 7

EQUAL PAY, UNEQUAL WORK

*To the Editor) Sir, —I have now obtained the first letter on the above subject from Mr Crabb, which appeared in your issue of September 2. I shall quote the pertinent paragraphs, and criticise them and I think that after reading this criticism your readers will come to the conclusion that the attacks made by me and other critics on the theory advanced by Mr Crabb were quite justified. I begin by stating the following principle of logical criticism: All speech has two meanings, one expressed, the other implied, the former being the meaning of the bare words as they stand, without any reference to context or attendant circumstances; the latter the meaning that can be deducted from them after due consideration of the context and attendant circumstances. I now get on with the job. In this case the chief attendant circumstance is that Mr Crabb was attacking a fellow-worker for objecting to an increase in wages during a time of stress and strain and sacrifice owing to the war. I quote a paragraph from Mr Crabb’s letter. “In 1938 there were 28,000 people in New Zealand drawing over £SOO a year, and 7716 drawing over £IOOO a year. Now when we know these figures (which by the way do not include dividends received from companies), ‘Worker’s’ remarks are 1 strange, to say the least.” The only inference that can be drawn from this is that no one should be allowed to have these incomes—whether he earns it or not. Another quotation: “ ‘Worker’ says if one section demands too much, some other must go short. Further/ ‘ Worker ’ says trade unionists criticise the Government for not making unlimited wealth available. I think they are only complaining because the Government has not made the distribution of existing wealth more equal.” Thus Mr Crabb! And what does it come to but one of two things—equal pay for unequal work, or the wholesale confiscation of private

wealth secured by intelligence, industry and thrift, in order that Mr Crabb and his mates may be paid more than they earn? I suggest Mr Crabb advocates equal pay for unequal work, or advocates the confiscation of other people’s wealth for his benefit. He pays his money, and takes his choice. The statement that the Government can make unlimited wealth available is the acme of absurdity. Wealth is produced only by hard work, and not on a 40-hour week basis.—l am, etc., A. WARBURTON Ngaruawahia, September 18.