LOCAL BODIES' OFFICERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 213, 3 June 1920, Page 5

LOCAL BODIES' OFFICERS

_ Sirl hfive to thank you for publishing my letter, in your issue of May 19, nnd also Mr. Mourant for his reply on May 21.

In my letter I pointed out that local bodies' officers are essentially public servants. Now, Sir, I have read in the Press since then that the Bank of Netf Zealand has announced that a bonus o.f 10 per cent, in the case of single servants, nnd 15 per cent, in married men's cases, will be paid to their staff. I have also read that following the Government's decision to grant a bos lis to the Civil Service, the Wellington Education Board lias likewise decided to pay a bonus of J315 to its married men and £1 10s. to single men. both on its staff and to its teachers, presumably including female teachers also.

One has but to read the daily papers to sec that every recent award between employers and employees in' any trade' or business, lias granted an increase in wages. The railwaymen are 'obtaining increases, the waterside workers have recently obtained increases, and so on, Lcavin? out these nnd taking only tho professional cla/<3(\s ivo also read that lawyers have recently decided to increase theiv scales of charges. Probably other professional men have likewise followed suit.

Local bodies would appear to be tho only Todies which are either incapablo or unwilling to consider their officers. I know si officers who havo a hard struggle to maintain a dccent respectable appearance on their present salaries, vet they incomplainingly and loyally" stickto their work, Coming between thoif councils and tho ratepayers they usually become the butt for all complaints arid abuse. Yet, Sir, -we are not_offered any bonus, wo have no scale of remuneration offering gradual increase, but have to ask for it overy time, however reluctant wo may bo to ask. And what us more, superannuation not bcinsr compulsory, very few local bodies think it necessary to mako provision for their stnft in {heir old age. Yet, at the prosoiit time, u is absolutely impossibly to make any provision for ourselves out of our present salaries.

Will the Municipal and Counties AsnSrTOVi£ tl i n,? ln th ° raftttpr <° assist? Will the Exeoutive Committees jt hose associations make a rccommendation to all councils to follow tho notion of the Government, the Sducation Board tho banks, by granting a reasonablo bonus to their staffs ?-I mil etc . COUNTY CLERK."