EX-SERVANTS OF THE STATE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 301, 14 September 1920, Page 6

EX-SERVANTS OF THE STATE

HARD HIT BY COST OF LIVING

ASK GOVERNMENT FOR

ASSISTANCE

f MR. MASSEY'S REPLY

A deputation representing the Association of Superannuated Public Servants of r Aew Zealand yesterday waitpil nn tho * Primp Minister (Eight Hon. W. F. Mas- ' sey) in order to request relief for super- \ annuated Public Servants who, on iieccunt of tho great increase in the cost of 1, living, are finding it difficult to make " ends meet. The deputation was intrn- ' ditced 'by Mr ]?. A. Wright (member 'i for Wellington Suburbs). Tlie spokesmen wore Captain W. de B. Barclay (Wellington). Professor F. W. Haslani (Nil- ! pier), Mr, B. Farrant (Otago), Mr. It. A. ' Owen and Mr. E. G. AVilson (Christchurch), and Jlr. G G.' Butcher (Wet- , lington). Hepresentatives from ■ Auekland, Wanganui, and Invoicargill were ! also present. . 1 Captain Barclay wad to the Prime ( Minister a letter embodying (he prin- 1 cipal points that the association wished ' to bring to tho notice of the Govern- ' went. Those points were stated as fol- 1 low:—(1) Superannuation was instituted as a contract between the Stale and the Public Sen-ants, and the basis of the ' contract was founded on a pre-war scale, ' when the value of the sovereign was 2fls. 1 During the war,' and since then, tho value of the sovereign has decreased, and it is now worth, say, about ]os. (2) When Public Servants elected to join the suDerAimuation scheme, tlie.ysurrendered their claim to compensation, and the majority, in addition, agreed to pay the stipulated premium thereunder, amounting to at least from five to ten per cent, of their salaries. (3) Salaries, wages, and emoluments of every kind have been increased in all classes, and further bonuses have been granted to practically all Government servants. The cost of living has increased by at least 62 per cent., and yet the allowances to superannuated Public Sen-ants have not been increased by oiki single penny. (4) When the pre-sent-day Public Servants who do not eome under the amended regulations retiro from the service, their allowances will bo based on the higher scale of salaries they now *\jfcy, although they are doing exactly the same class cf work (on a higher salary) as their predecessors did im the pre-war basis of salaries. (5) Tlie British Government has recognised the principle of raising the retiring allowances to a pre-war basis, (fi) We respectfully submit that superannuated Public Servants have a justifiable rpason for asking for relief in the way of an incieased annual payment, inasmuch as they have earned what is now paid to them by their strenuous labours, many of them from 40 to 45 years' service, and by their contributions to. the fund from which they receive benefit, which benefit, is inadequate to the present changed conditions. (7) Upon investigation, it has been found that there are very many cases of real distress amongst the poorly paid retired servants, and it becomes absolutely necessary for them to reenivo some financial assistance, as most of them arc incapable of doing any work, even if work could be found for them (8) In the existing circumstances, we strongly urge you to give effcct to this appeal for financial assistance, by increasing tho annual allowance of all superannuated servants, proportiontely to the increased test of living. "Such amount as the Government may see fit to grant." said Captain Barclay, "must be a diminishing quantity, for this reason: that in the natural course many if not all of us, will pass away before tWe return' to normal of the cost of the necessities of life." Mr. Mnssey: I hops not. University Professors. Professor Haslnm dealt particularly with the case of the superannuated university professors. He said that at present their minimum allowance was ,£.IOO a year. A university professor with forty years' service had probably contributed to the fund something between JCHIOO and <C2OOO, as -professors generally got tto?ir appointments when they were about 30 years of age, and began with a salary of*,£7oo a year. Supposing that the school teacher, on the other hand, paid <\n an avernge during forty years on a salary of ,£3OO a year, he would have paid in about .-PfiOfl: and if li» retired at a salary of .£450, he would get the .£.IOO n vrnr nllnw-nrre, while the T>rote«nr, who had paid in .£I6OO, did not get anymore. The speaker suggested on be'-nlf of those he represented that some alteration might be made whertfbv a nrofes. no.- wiHi 15 years' service might, receive ',£3OO. He thought that that would give ' satisfaction. He wished to draw attention to tlie amount of the allowance niado to the widow of a professor or of a primary school tenclier. When the professor or tcoeher died his widow ?«t. a pension of ,£lB a year. Hi> thought everv--1 body would agree that the amount was ■ ridiculously small, and he trusted that the Government would take the matter into consideration, and see if sometnins could be done. The D 5 ListMr. Farrant urged tho claims of the ■ superannuated railwavmen. He said that > Xence to the Ds.List f0r1919 showed • 1000 names of men in receipt of supeianf miatiou benefit. Of this number more than half received less than .£<B a leal. I while of that number a"am half roceiud 1 e's than SSI a vcar. He wished to sav s a' word on behalf of the widows and 3 orphans of deceased railwayman. The [ widows received 418 a Tew for themcnlves and ss. a week for each child, me. latest' figures showed that there were - 383 widows and M 5 children recemn, • advocated more liberal nl- ■ lowances for ex-teachers .and their S and quoted several instances of ! hardshiVsuffered by tbe people for whom - -\rl' 1S (} P nsl;cd the Govern- • w: to 'do 'something for *7™^ ■ K«r« WC Ivul lived th(v parents would 111 many ) ri ; es have been dependent upon them odnv When the uarents went before th 1 Pa'n'cions Board however, t''»v could cet " ™ , n" boenuso they eon d not truth- • f l • s'tate that formerly they had been ! d 'endent on their sons' earning

A Shillinn a Day. Mr J- Vigor Brown (member for Nnoier) was among those present. H.O ir>rpH that the wives of deceased supei«'id Public Servants ought to be iiiveii move than a shilling a Jay. Ho mii irA-icil that prov'sion should be made oflh mto receive at least; half of the pension that the husband had bean S lh" T K Sidey (member for Dunedin South) proposed that the (jovernment should assist the •upewnmmlcd Public Servants by tho payment ol a flat late ,J °ALi S >fas«ey: You don't suggest that a man gcttiing <£300 a year from the buperanimation ftund should get the same flat .•ate by way of assistance as is given to uho 111 nn with »£SO & yeurr Mr. Sidoy: This may not go so ln„h 11s X3OO It seems to me that it is bettor to give a flat rate than » proportionate 'Tanta-'n Barclay said that the question I„rt m»d had been very carefully coneidercd by the association, which had tinallY Mine to the conclusion that it winld be best do leave the decision to tne G Mr n AViS'it wid that when » superannuated railwaying died here was IMiicti'cally no proviso,, a all for the widow, unless it happened t]>t he n * had n01! drawn the full amount he had paid into the fund. Government's Intentions, Mr. Xrassev assured the deputation that he was thoroughly familiar with the points that had bcon raised. Ho wished to do something for the superannuated Publo Servants during the present session. He thought that the fairest svvJem to adopt in extending relief to the superannuated Public Servants would be to start with tlioso in receipt of tho smallest allowances and work up ns fAr as possible. His sympathy was with tho widows, perhaps, oven more uhan, with the others, but he would do his