PUBLIC SERVICE PAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 94, 17 October 1940, Page 10

PUBLIC SERVICE PAY

(To the Editor.) Sir*—-Mar.y public servants have been entitled to increases of pay for from one to eight months, some even more, and to date have not received one penny of their increase, nor has the cost of living bonus granted lately by the Government been paid. There are hard-and-fast laws regulating wages and conditions for private firms, but these laws do not apply to public servants. If a private firm were taker.' to Cotirt for this kind of practice, doubtless scathing remarks would be passed on the management. No possible excuse can be made for the practice of withholding money for months on end at some controlling officer's whim from those who are rightfully and legally entitled to it. It is the duty of the Government to go ir.to this matter, and at the least to see that public servants get their increases jpaid when they become due, not months [afterwards. —I am, etc., I VICTIM.

Inquiries made in official quarters reveal that scale increases to the salaries of both permanent and temporary officers generally were authorised some time ago, but, it is stated, there may still be odd cases ■"j'.h'.t'U require specia] consideration. General instructions, for payment of the cost of. living bonus were issued a fortnight or more ago, and it is known that in the great majority of cases arrears of the bonus already have been paid. Here, again, on account of some special reasons, there may be odd cases which have not yet received it.