POLICE PAY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 304, 12 September 1918, Page 6

POLICE PAY

INCREASE OF ONE AND SIXPENCE PER DAY NO RECRUITS OFFERING The Minister of Jn.sticc (the Hon. T. M. Wilford) announced yesterday that the Government had decided increase the pay of the non-commissioned officers and the rank and file of the police force of New Zealand by Is. 6d. per day. The increase is to be a permanent addition to pay, and is to be in addition to the war bonus at present being paid. Cabinet has approved also of the recommendation of Mr. Wilford that the increase date back to the beginning of the financial year, April 1. Mr. Wilford said that the present rates of pay came into force on August 1, 1914. At the time it was probably true that the rates of pay as at that time scheduled were proper, but since then conditions had changed somewhat, and now lie did not consider that, the members of tho force were receiving adequate pay.. The cost of living had increased since then to a considerablo extent. Without such au increase as was now to be made it would be difficult or impossible to keep up the strength of tho force. There was constant loss of personnel by retirements ou superannuation, dismissals, and resignations, and the inducements of the higher wages being offered by private employers for oven unskilled work did not make the police scale attractive to tho right sort of man. There were twenty-two vacancies in tho force at present, aud unless authority were given to recruit for the force men between the ages of 21 and 30 (tho regulation age) the Department would have to bring tho farce lip to strength by making temporary appointments. Mr. Wilford stated that a considerable number of other matters relating to the administration of the police force would have to be settled. Ho was giving his attention to these matters. He was also considering the question of the rates of pay to be giyen to prison warders. Following are tho Tates of pay at present in force, which will now be increased by Is. 6d. per day in the lower ranks, in addition to tho war . bonus, payable under the same conditions as to the members of the Civil Service. (The bonus is £15 to married men and £7 10s. to single men):— _ Superintendents, £460, rising to £520 per annum 1 . Inspectors, £380, rising to £440 per annum. Sub-inspectors, £330, rising to £360 per annum. Senior-sergeants, 14s. 6d., rising to 16s. a day. Sergeants, 125., rising to 13s. Gd. a day. Constables (under three years' service), 95.; over' threo and under six years, 9s. 6d.; over six years and under nine years, 10s.; over nine years and under fourteen years, 10s. 6d.; over fourteen years and under twenty years, lis.; over twenty years, lis. Gd. a day. Probationary constables, 7s. a day. Chief detectives, 16s. Gd. to 17s. 6d, Detective-sergeants, 15s. to 16s. Detectives, lis. Gd. to 14s. 6d. Matrons, £100 to £120 a year.