PUBLIC SERVICE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20178, 5 March 1931, Page 11

PUBLIC SERVICE.

| REDUCTION OF SALARIES. ATTITUDE OF TEACHERS. r •' ,(111(1' ftSBOOUTIO* tILIOBAlt.) ' WELLINGTON, March 4. ' A statement has been the New ' Zealand Federation of Teachers . in reference <to the proposed salary reductions. The : Federation proposes to r .ask- the Government that afty= reduo- ' tibns Bliould be made.for one year s The statement is made by - Mr: T. Mdrtyn;,Renner, chairman of the StandingCommittee of thd Federation. He says he has no doubt that most teachers regard some sacrifice as inevitable and' are. prepared, to; shoulder their.' fair share of'the burden, but they, would be prepared to, regard, a reduction in ; their pay'- with a certain aniount of equanimity if they wdre assured the reduction would be only 'temporary and that after twelve months, if the couni try's return to 4 prosperity warranted it, the existing scale of salaries would again be brought into operation. Mr Renner says the Federation intends to submit the following resolution to the Minister for, Education: - "That the Standing Committee of the New Zealand Federation of Teachers recognises the obligation of teachers to assist the Prime Minister and Cabinet-in their efforts to ensure the financial stability* of New Zealand} that any reduction made in the salaries" of teachers shall be regarded as a temporary measure for ohe year only, v and, that, after April Ist, 1932, if the financial .outlook has improved,. teach* f era' salaries shall bo paid in accordance with the scale fnow in force." - Eftect on Superannuation. Some consternation has-been felt on ~ ,tht> part of Civil servants,., especially : those "due to retire in the course of 'a few years, on account of the possibility of their retiring allowances being .?e----.duced as a result of tho iO per cent, cut in salaries. This question was mentioned, to the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon G-. W. Forbes, when he was asked if the Government, intended to make any provision to meet the case. ' Mr Forbes replied that the Govern- . ment had no desire to causa hardship. ' ;<4, > - i '

' . V" ' \ It was quite possible "provision -would be made to permit* of Civil servants retiring on their ' normal allowances. The matter was being investigated, and any accessary provision in respect 1 of it would be included in this legislation that would \be introduced. Railwaymen Protest. -At largely-attended meeting.of the Woodvijle branch of,the Engine Drivers', Firemen, and Cleaners 7 Apsocia*' fcion n resolution was' passed strongly protesting against the proposed -wages v'cut" and approving- of Sir Francis Bell's attitude on the subjecti r Statement by Prime Minister. • "I am very disappointed at the attitude some trade union leaders have taken up 'over-,the proposals of'the GoVernmeht," said Mr G. W. Forbes to a 1 reporter. "It .does' not seem to be that the only solution of the present difficulty is to reduce costs and that the only way this'can be done' is to make an all-round reduction • in> money wages. 1 1 am» quite convinced that the action of the Government in reducing', wages' will be followed by an all-round reduction in the cost of living and that in the final result the worker will 'be no worse off' than at present. At the sams time the position of the country will haVe itiiprOved considerably owing to the reduction of costs and the worker will have received the full benefit of . that improvement. The traces unions that" are 'complaining do not seem- to realise that fact." Mr Forbes's attention was' drawn to a complaint by the secretary of the New Zenland "Workers' Union that the Public Works Department ,had already intimated to the Union that the rates of pay would be reduced as from April Ist. and that the Government had no right to make such an announcement until the matter had been dealt with by Parliament. "The position of the country, is such," said Mr Forbes, v "that it is absolutely essential that the reductions should come- into force at the earliest' possible moment/ Either wages must be-reduced'on'public works or men must be put off, and the Government have no desire to put men off where this can. be avoided.- I have called Parliament together to deal with the position on, March llth^and' so far • as the Government are concerned there, is absolutely no -reason .why the session - should "not.conclude within three weeks. If it goes longer, it-will-not be the fault of the Government, but if it does the Government is determined it will not allow anything in tiie nature of organised opposition to stand in its way of putting into effect the measures; it considers' necessarv in the interests' of the country." We have made- up otir . minds as to what is necessary,'and we see it.through." . • , 1 |*' .V, '■, 'j Sr "j r

>r ; ,' > t i > 'V> »*<'S'* PROPOSALS * .CRITICISED;, 1 * 1 ' » f "' * , TIMAEU, March 4. At' a' largely-attended ■,' jtteetinjgißt Timaru' this evening, Mr' J Clyde : M.Pi, trenchantly criticised the Prime Minister's wage reduction The majority-of those present -were public servants. - i " '<} The meeting unanimously 'carried the', following .motion:— ... '■ "This mass meeting jot iwbrkers , protests emphatically again&tthe proposed', 'flat 10 per Cent, redpetion in and-falaries of Government' servants; 1 , that of relief wages to l2s pd and 9s j; the suspension of current Arbitral tion Court'awards. ;■ V* " > 5 "We believe iqpfeh" action will only, aggravate the, pbsition, and that it iiaunnecessary and unjust, and we;-insist' that the State exercise a larger measure' of control of the national finances, 'also that the existing exemptions' of .the wealthy from,'' taxation/should .be re--moved and a-steeply graduated-income tax imposed. - ' "Further,-we pledge, ourselves to sup-, port any and< every constitutional means that may be' adopted throughout- New Zealand,4n ; harmony.,with the spirit of this resolution, to oppose, the Government's wage reduction policy, and tp' effect the ( alternative proposals suggested above."'