REVIEW OF PAST YEAR

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 228, 21 June 1921, Page 9

REVIEW OF PAST YEAR

$ PUBLIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL REPORT THE COST OF LIVING Following are excerpts from the annual report presented to the Executive Council of the Public Service Association yesterday:— "Tire total membership at the end of the year was 5847, as compared »with 4702 for the previous year, an increase of 1145. The subscription receipts for the year totalled '£2935 6s. sd. Current subscriptions being represented by -62674 Bs. 9d, and arrears by £260. 17s. Bd. The excess of income over expenditure is £673 3s. sd, which in' one year augments the cash reserves accumulated in the seven previous years by 60 per cent., an excellent result which speaks for itself, and leaves the assoffthtion with a credit balance of J 31804 9S. 7d. Results Achieved. "The following are among the results of the year’s work:— "Increases in salary as from April 1, ’ 1920, to meet increased cost of living in terms of agreement signed by executive officers providing for salary addition to officers receiving over £144 per annum and £24 per annum for those receiving less than that amount (including police and Defence officers). "Undertaking that returned soldiers appointed to the Public Service shall not be regarded as senior to officers already in the Public Service, prior to the date of the former’s appointment. "Provision that consequential vacancies be limited to departments in which the original advertised vacancy occurs. Provision that all communications from the individual Public Servant) ad* dressed to the Public Service Commissioner must bo forwarded to him by permanent heads promptly. “Undertaking from Public Service Commissioner that no differentiation be made on account of sex where work is equal in volume and quality. "The appeals against the 1919 reclassification of the Public Service were completed in May, 1920. The following » a table of the appeals in which the general secretary appeared, results obtained:—Successful, 202; unsuccessful, 127; total, 329. Amendment of the Act. "The most important question during the forthcoming session is to press for an amendment of the Public Service Act. Last year the Prime Minister promised that an amendment would bo introduced but he was unable to keep that promise, However, the Prime Minister has already stated that there is every prospect *bf the amendment being introduced next session, and it will be for tho association to do its utmost to ensure that that prospect becomes a certainty. Many questions which have been before tho association for some years' are dependent upon this amendment, and we have reached that stage when we should suffer no further delay. The remark applies also to the amendment to the Superannuation Act which is required to grant the claims of the association in regard to improvements in the existing benefits. * Salaries and Economy. "At the time the agreement was entered Into with the Uniformity Committee there was an admitted understanding that in the event of the cost of living increasing or decreasing 10 points (it was then 62 per cent.) there should be a corresponding increase or decrease in the cost of living increases granted since April 1, 1919. Unfortunately, tho Primo Minister has complicated the position by reason of his statement to the Post t nd Telegraph Officers’ Association that no promise was made. Unless it can bo established that the Prime Minister is under a misapprehension then there is no guarantee that an attempt will Jiot be made to reduce our salaries before the decreased cost of living referred to has taken place, and it will be necessary for the association to protect’ its members against such an attB"As'this report is penned the Economy Commission set up by the Government is considering this question, and the association has asked to be given an opportunity to place evidence before it. One of the means by which economy can be effected would be by way of granting the association’s request that all officer with 40 years’ service, who are GO years of age or over, be retired;,on superannuation. but at> the present stage we have more officers of 65 years of age still in tho service than for some years past. We regard this as quite unsatisfactory, and it°will bo for the Executive Council to express its opinion in no .uncertain manner on the position so created.’’