Cost Of Living Increases

For Fiji Indians

SINCE me war commenced in 1939, the cost or living oi certain classes of piji-lndiaii wononen nas increased by 72.0 per cent. lor touva, and by ii4.d per cent. lor me rest of Viti Levu.

This is me finding of Mr. C. H. Came, of t>uva, wno was appomted some monms ago oy the Fiji Labour and National ;oer vice Board to inquire into me cost of liv ing of Indians earning less man OU/- per week.

Mr. Came is a resident of the Colony of 35 years’ standing and in the course oi ms ousiness life has always been in touch with the class of workmen under consideration. His report is comprenen sive and is the result of exnaustive inquiries among workers’ families, among storekeepers and others. The report may be oought at the Government Print ing Office, lor 1/-.

As a result of Mr. Game’s findings, the Government has revised its wage rates and will in future pay 6d. per day war bonus to country labourers, bringing the wages for Indian labourers in the country to 4/- per day. This cost of living report was also the basis of an award made in January by the National Arbitration Tri bunal to labourers of the CSR Company on Viti Levu. The Tribunal awarded a cost of living bonus of 2£d. per day above the 1939 award rates, and this is con sidered to cover all increases. The labourers appealed to the Tribunal, in addition, for improved conditions and also that the present concessions in kind or services, as allowed to employees in Lautoka, should be extended to all employees of the company throughout the Colony. The Tribunal was of the opinion that during a war was not the time for increasing wages (other than cost of living adjustments), or improv ing working conditions. As for the extension of concessions, the Tribunal was of the opinion that concessions granted to labourers by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company in 1939 must have affected the pre-war standard of living and therefore, the concessions should continue, in order that the 1939 standard of living be maintained. But it was not within the power of the Tri bunal to recommend or order any exten sion of the concessions. The Colonial Sugar Refining Company has undertaken to continue the concessions, subject to the possible wartime necessity of reduc ing the quantity of sugar sold to their employees. The Tribunal was of the opinion, also, that sugar supplied to labourers at a reduced price was supplied for their own use, and not for sale to others.