LOWER SALARIES.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20102, 4 December 1930, Page 11

LOWER SALARIES.

DECISION OF DAIRY BOARD. MEMBERS' HONORARIA REDUCED. [THE PP.ESS Special Service.j WELLINGTON, December A decision to reduce the members' honoraria by 20 per cent., and the salaries of the staffs in both New Zealand and London by 12J per cent., was reached by the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board at its meeting to-day. Hitherto the honorarium of members has been £250 per annum, and that of the chairman £750 per annum. The sum of £7OO will therefore be saved by tho reduction in the honoraria of members, to be effective from February Ist nest.

In the case of the salaries, the sum of £7830 is involved, that being the figure covering the head office and London expenses for the Board's last financial year. The 12i per cent, reductioa will therefore mean a saving of approximately £950 Lead Towards Economy.

In agreeing to the reduction, the Board took the view that it -was incumbent on it, as the head of the dairy industry, to give a lead towards economy, in view of the present market position of primary produce. The chairman, Mr \Y. A. lorns, said that he was sorry from the point of view of the 6taff that it was necessary to take this attitude; but in the face ef circumstances it was essential that everybody should economise. position of the whole of the Board's staff had been gone into carefully, and he could not see where any reduction in numbers could be made. The industry could rely upon the Board to face the situation with due regard to economy. Board's Commitments. Several letters were received from dairy companies stressing the need for economy at the present juncture, aad making the suggestion that the levy imposed by the Board upon export/produce should be reduced or suspended, said Mr lorns. On this point he would stress that the Board has entered into commitments which could sot be varied. As a matter ef fact, the sum derived from the levy at present imposed was insufficient to meet current _ commitments, and the Board was drawing upon reserves which had been accumulated during the period before the levy was reduced by half to its present position. Advertising in Britain was being continued at the rate of £ 15,000 per annum, this being a very necessary penditure to maintain the sale of New Zealand dairy produce. In addition, the sum of approximately £4OOO was being .devoted to necessary scientific research into various dairying problems. Those commitments were necessary, and made it impossible for the present levy to be reduced or suspended.

| It was also pointed out that the average contribution of the average supplier of 50001b of butter-fat to the Board small sum the individual dairy-farmer received the benefit of the 1 Board's collective bargaining in respect of freights and insurance, had the shipment of hfs ■ produce supervised both in New Zealand and on arrival in London,, benefited by the research conducted into dairying problem*, received tne of a monthly journal eontairiii&.:Saluable matter bearing upon production and manufacture, and free inspection and supervision of the conditions of shipment of dairy produce. A Report Corrected. Opportunity was also taken in connexion with the discussion on. «conomy to correct a report emanating from Taranaki, to the effect that the expense of the recent visit of the chairman of the Board to London had amounted to over £I4OO. Mr loms pointed out that the full cost to the industry did not exceed £7OO. including the fares. He had kept his expenses to a minimum, and fcad done mueh entertainment at his own expense. As a matter of fact, his personal expenses exceeded the sum charged to the Board by £BSO. His railway travelling expenses in Britain were under £25, although he had visited the northern industrial areas and 64otland two or throe times. It was due to the Board to make this correction.