Salary Paring Plan Suspected

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 1

Salary Paring Plan Suspected

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 14. An Opposition speaker claimed in Parliament tonight that the Government was “toying with the idea” of paring down the recommended increased salary scales for air traffic controllers.

But the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) replied that the Government was taking all practical steps to expedite the recommendations of the committee of inquiry into air traffic controllers’ pay. Speaking during the halfhour adjournment debate, Mr J. Mathison (Opp., Avon) claimed it was five weeks since the committee of inquiry reported to the Government recommending that salary increases from £5OO- - be paid—retrospective to January 1, 1965. “But nothing has been done by the Government to implement its recommendations,” he said. “It is rumoured freely that these increases will be substantially reduced." Mr Mathison said there was a tremendous demand for air traffic controllers and said New Zealand had been short of them for a very long time. If New Zealand was to meet

its air safety record, the Government should expedite the committee’s report “Air traffic controllers have been dissatisfied for a very long time,” he said. Mr Shand replied that he called for the establishment of the committee of inquiry—but there was no compulsion for the Government to accept the report of the committee. He said, however, that the State Services Commission was prepared to accept all the committee’s recommendations —except two salary scales which had been recommended. These were still being negotiated.