Show FIXING r G A WAGE SCALE The United States is not the only country where prices have been rising for several years past Neither is it the only country where the tha labor lebor ques question Question question tion requires constant attention The i labor problems however are generally worked out by the parties pa most m st inter interested Interested interested ested occasionally with the help of ot me mediators medIators mediators and arbitrators There has been no attempt on the part pat t of either city or state to fix the amount of wages to be paid of corporations compa companies companies nies and private individuals An attempt at that sort of thing was recently made by the city council of Sydney Nova Scotia where a resolution resolution resolution tion was passed p entitled An act regu regulating lating latin the rate of wages to be paid by corporations The act was amended by the addition of three clauses and is isnow Isnow isnow now in the tha hands of the provincial leg legislature legIslature legislature for final action The city council of Sydney did not at attempt attempt attempt tempt to say what amount of wages should be paid ald in all cases but fixed the minimum rate on a basis of nine nino hours a day Following is the schedule as finally adopted Whereas the wages paid by Industrial concerns In the city of Sydney Sdney Is in inadequate Inadequate inadequate adequate to meet the increased cost coat of ot living therefore be it enacted by b the that a minimum rate of wages obtain in the city of ot Sydney Sdney and an that said minimum rate of ot wages waites be that adopted by the city of Sydney as the fair wage schedule That no corporation c partnership or other employer of labor in the city of Sydney shall after the coming in force of this act pay less wages or salary alary to any auy than such minimum rate of wages and that an of any corporation partnership or other em employer employer employer of labor Tray stay av recover In an ao no notion tion at law as wages wage a Ii sum not less len than said aid minimum late rate of wages That the Dominion government fair wage schedule should be applicable to all employers of labor throughout the Province of Nova Scotia This act shall not apply to apprentices apprentices apprentices tices or minors or persons incapacitated Incapacitated Incapacitated by age ago or any iny other ether physical dis disabilities disabilities disabilities abilities front from performing p a full days labor This act shall come CODe Into force farce July 1 1910 This Is taking a long stop step in the di direction dIrection direction of a paternalistic form of ot gov government government If the city council of Sydney Nova Scotia or the provincial legis legislature legislature lature can fix the minimum wage scale they can also fix the maximum scale and all the Intermediate rates to be paid in all walks of life lite Pub Public Public Public lic officials would be interfering with the business of corporations the nature of which they did not understand should this resolution become a law lawand lawand lawand and industrial paralysis result In short order orner The intention of the city council was doubtless good Good intentions how however however however ever will not effect the result Too much law Is worse than none at all |