Report of the Royal Commission on the Basic Wage

The Piddington report, the 'Report of the Royal Commission on the Basic Wage', examined the question of what the cost of living of a family of five was. The Royal Commission was set up after the Court said on a number of occasions that the question had to be addressed again, and that the Harvester Decision had made only a rough assessment. It was a more thorough exercise than the Harvester Decision had been. It assessed the food, clothing, housing and other needs of a family of five, and made an assessment of the cost of living.

The Royal Commission, chaired by Commissioner Piddington, issued its report on 19 November 1920.The document includes the Report of the Royal Commission on the Basic Wage (with Appendices), along with a Minority Report by Mr Commissioner Keep and Mr Commissioner Gilfillan; and a Protest by the Chairman by Mr Commissioner Piddington and Commissioners Cheney, Gibson and Maher, in connection with the matter.