RAILWAY SERVANTS' BONUS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2802, 21 June 1916, Page 6

RAILWAY SERVANTS' BONUS

THE MINISTER EXPLAINS., The Minister of Railways made an explanation yesterday of the Government's proposals regarding the payment of a war bonus to railway servants. Mr. Herries said that in addition to the war bonus of Is. a day, which was given recently to the Second Division of the service, . it is now proposed to give to members of the First Division a bonus of ■£15 a year to married men and ,£7 10s. to single men whose present salaries do not exceed JJ3IS per annum. This bonus will apply to grades 10, 9, 8, and 7; salaries in the seventh grade range from .£265 to ,£315 per annum, and tbere are only about 160 men concerned, of whom many are still far short of the maximum salary. Another point to be considered—a very important point too—is the fact that, a large number of men are practically at the highest maximum they will ever obtain. The grade represents a convenient break to the Department.' Many of the men in that position have been promoted from the Second -Division, so that 'they are in every respect entitled to the proposed increase. The ' Minister further pointed out that the maximum salary in grade 8 is .£265 a year. If the war bonus of JJIS a year were to stop there the men at the top of grade 8 would be getting .£275, whereas the men at the bottom of grade 7 would get iC2GS a year. It would, therefore, not pay a man to take promotion. The salaries in grade 8 range from .£230 to .£260, and those in grade 9 from to £220. Grade 10 is composed of cadets whose salaries range from .£SO to .£llO. They will receive a bonus of .£7 10s. a year. Tho increases to both divisions will probably run into £180,000 a year: