THAT PUBLIC SERVICE BONUS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 116, 10 February 1919, Page 6

THAT PUBLIC SERVICE BONUS

Sir,—Allow me space in your paper to ventilate a genuine grievance in regard to the the Public Service. I am employed on the Survey Branch, absolutely the worst paid in tho Service. The wage ie 9s. Cd. per day, with a temporary bonus of Is. Not a great wage you will admit, in faco of the cost of living. This work is very strenuous, mostly in very bad country, rough and covered with scrub. There are always expenses incurred when , shifting from one part of the district to another, the lowest charge for accommodation being Bs., and more often 10s.-per day. Travelling allowance, Cs. per day, which means losing at least 3a. per day.. Enough of that. A bonus is supposed to have been granted of another Is. per day w from October 1, 1918, and information has been received from men on the East Coast railway survey to the effect that their gang have been paid said bonus. As. yet we have heard nothing whatever in regard to our "share of the plunder." stakes one wonder whether it is granted to a chosen few or the Service as aidiile. bir, can you enlighten me?—T am. etc., PUZZLED.

February 3, 1913. [It is not ,made clear i y the writer whether he is engaged on a Lands or a Public Works survey, but inquiries were made concerning his complaint from both Departments. The reply in both instances was the same—that tho rules for the payment of the bonus are such that it is not possible to make. a general statement covering a case not ..fully stated. The Departments are paying the bonus in accordance with tho rules made by the Treasury to give effect to the decisions of the Cabinet. It is no uncommon thing for complaints to be made, and the procedure which (fficers and other employees aro asked to follow is to make application to the Treasury regarding their bonus in case they consider that they are under a hardship. To this course the Departments, concerned have not the slightest objection, -but rather invite it. But the applicant must in every case give all particulars of his case. Tho conditions under which the bonus has to bo paid have been defined by the Treasuiry, and the application of those rule? to particular ca-:es cannot bo stated unless the cases are first stated fully. It is admitted thnt this bonus has given trouble in every Department in tho Service. So far as we can gather, the posiiion is, far from being a satisfactory one.] THE KILT AND-OUR DEFENCE FORCES Sir,—l have perused with much interest'and satisfaction the- letter _ "Scotland' Yet," which appeared in your issue of January. 31. . In that letter the writer comments very adversely and to the point with regard to the abolition of the kilt and the Highland ' regiments from the Defence Forces of New Zealand. I fully agree, with what "Scotland Yet" says. Indeed, some years ago, when the guest and one of the speakers at the St. Andrew's Night dinner of the Scottish community in one of the principal Australian cities, I took the liberty of expressing my astonishment that, of all the territories comprising the British Empire, only Australia was ashamed of the Highland dress. ■' Further, that it was evidently considered, in tho Corny monwcalth," that a Scot could not be fiiithful to the country of bis adoption unless he cut himself free from all rerollections of the dress,, sentiments, and history connected with' tire country of his birth. The remarks I then made elicited the warm approval of the Scotsmen then present. Since the event to which allusion has above ])een made took place, New Zealand has followed in the footsteps of Australia! Why, may it be asked? The dominion of New. Zealand is full of Scottish names and people, and its prosperity owes not a little to the Scots. Are there, therefore, no Scots .of influence enough to bring pressure to bear on tho military authorities, so that the kilt, the Highland dress, and the bagpipes may take the places they ought to Have in the Forces of the Dominion? Even in Asia, from which I hail, and where, in tho various colonies, there is but a, handful of Europeans; one finds Scottish sentiment and the love of the Highland dress much to the fore. Calcutta, Bombay, Rangoon, and Shanghai have all their kilted corps. Why not, therefore, New Zealand, which has been termed "tho Scotland of the Antipodes"? —I am, etc., ASJATICUS. Rotorua, February 5.