PENSIONS FOR CIVIC EMPLOYEES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3196, 21 September 1917, Page 7

PENSIONS FOR CIVIC EMPLOYEES

SUPERANNUATION SCHEME BEFORE THE COUNCIL. At the fortnightly meeting of the City Council last evening the Finance Committee Teported that it had given careful consideration to the question of the superannuation scheme for corporation employees, and recommended that the scliemo be put into operation this year, It is proposed to limit the scheme to persons lip. to sixty years of age, and the council will deal independently with those excluded employees over sixty years of age upon retirement, treating each case'on its merits. An annual saving to the council of .£3553 on its contribution to the fund will result by the adoption of this proposal. With the limit of membership to those employees up to sixty years of age, tho annual contribution of the council will be ,£4082 per annum, and the employees' contribution will be .£3694. The Mayor said that the time had arrived when the council should put its house in order in regard to superannuation. A soheme had been pnt forward some time ago, but it was decided to link it up with the National Provident Fund. He thought that the machinery of the State would be more economical than if they did their own book-keeping. Be- ■ sides that, it meant a saving of 25 per cent. It was not perhaps' a time to be generous, but at the same time the council had to do its duty towards its servants. He said that it was a fair tiling to levy a special rate on the citizens for the purpose, and, if legislation was necessary to enable that to bo done, he favoured that legislation, in order that they could make adequate provision for tho employees in their old age. In tho first place a sohemo was drafted for men at 65 years of age, but in its deliberations tho committee had decided that contributions should only be paid by those up to 60 years of age. Councillor W. H. P. Barber approved of the iußtice of the soheme, and, pointed out the number of occasions that they had been approaohed for gratuities by old employees who had not perhaps reoeived enough salary -to provide for themselves in their old age. Ho was, however, sorry that they .did not intend to start with a scheme complete in itself. They were commencing with only 362 contributions out of over 1000 employees, so that only one-third of the council's employees would be included in the scliemo, leaving two-thirds to ■ come upon tho council for consideration in their old age. Councillor M. F. Luckie thought that the scheme demanded very careful consideratjon, and he did not know but tliat tlfey snould discuss it further in comniitfeo. Ho K pointed out that under tho National Provident Fund employees were given. six months from tho date of its iriiftauon in which to consider whether or not they would come in. There would, too, be criticism from the public at the exclusion from the scheme of those over 60 years of ago. Tho Mayor pointed out that tliero were sixty-seven, men 60 years of age in the employ of the corporation. It would cost tin extra .£3500 a year, or nearly 100 per cent, more, and it was a pity that (lie scliemo should be loaded by including those men. Councillor Luckio suggested that the matter might stand down for a. time. The Mayor said he was not hostile to the suggestion, or even of discussing it before tho public, so as to get it into their heads. Councillor Atkinson said he dissented from a good deal of what Councillor Luckio and the Mayor had said. He was of opinion tlwt it was not the time to take up new financial burdens. He had offered such protests before, and was usually in a. minority of one. JIo did not expect to Bo any more on this occasion. He said that they were piling up expense, going ahead at a great rale, and he did not know how it was being provided for. Perhaps the Mayor knew. These amounts ought to be provided lor, and if the scheme .were adopted he be- <