CIVIL SERVANTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1921, Page 4

CIVIL SERVANTS.

ATTITUDE OYER RETRENCHMENT. Tho attitude of the civil service ml . the retrenchmeii prospects ol the Gov- j eminent were kiven in an inlervtew at Wellington by Mr F .\V. Mi lnr, era I Secretary of the New Zealand Public Service Association, who staled “Our view* can he expressed in a sentence The Prime Ministers proposal. if carried into effect, is a breach of the agreement and understandii g entered into in 1920 with the I ul,lnService organiM, tu.ns by (he Government's agents, the t' tt.lormdy ( .anmittee. emisisliiig of A.e-Ms • ' McYillv (General Manager ot (lie ■ Zealand Railways). W. R- I (Pit,die Service ('mnmissioner>, r • • Frazer (new President ol the Arlntinlion Court), and A. Marki.it... (aeUt.gSeeletarv U> the Post Office), and we j ere satisfied that every one ol these . I ..entleineii will hear out our statement I that the definite undertaking was that I I not reduction would take plane unless . ! the percentage increase in the cost m living. Until that percentage point is reached the Public Service Association, in common with other Service organisations will strive for the honouring ot this undertaking. Several members ol that Uniformity Committee sat oil the Keoitumv Commission, whose report, though in the hands of the Government for some weeks, has not yet been published. We cannot conceive that as honourable men they could have recommended to the Government the rcditetion now suggested, in common fairness to the Public Service this Economy Commission's report should he I published. The service has been attacked fro initially quarters. It is not. permitted to defend itself, neither can the p„|,lie Service Commissioner do so. The publication of this report then would clenrlv show its position, which surely the public, as well as the Service, is entitled to. If the Economy Commission ■ll 1 not recommend the proposed 10 per oeiit. cut. thou we can only assum that the Government is acting off its own hat in Hying in the face of its salary agreement with the Service. The spectacle we see, then, is the Government dishonouring ils agreement on the one hand, and on the other granting a

10 per cent, reduction on the land tax, and suggesting the possibility of a similar reduction in income fax. To use the Prime Minister’s own words when nninimieimig the proposed salary cut. ‘We must make the finances sound and reduce taxation to those who are

staggering under the load they „nie earrviqg at- present.’ He might have added, ‘At the expense of the employees id the State.’ The salaries in the' "Public Service have I. based on strict investigation in each individual Lise, not only by the Public Servic" Commissioner, lull also, in some eases, liv the Public Service Hoard of Ap„e;,E on w-bi.-h business interests are represented, and I,ear full relation to Hie salaries mod for similar ’i'-eurations outside t lie Service. The effect of «ur snl " V acreem, ot was to stabilise Public (service wages until a given point hud rea. 1,0.1. ill I In- same way as the Arbitration Court has stabilised »lTer workers wages.

To make a cut in the Public Service salaries until that lime arrives places Public Servants on a lower wage level than other workers. II the Prime Minister is re, nrted ,-erectly his statement is somewhat ambiguous, because in the one breath he speaks of a In per cent, reduction in salaries, and then proceeds to qualify that announcement by say-

ing that- he would not take a pennyoil' unless the cost of living goes down.

that the bonuses and increases must lie removed—not altogether, because lie does not want, to go back to the salaries of 1914. Are we t« understand th

the proposed percentage reduction applies to full salary, or only to cost o! living increase in that salary-! J Does tln> Prime Minister realise that if tin Reduction applies to full salary. in the cost of living increase will disappeai majiy cases more than the whole of with the result that salaries would he lower than the lf)E! lord. The Prime Minister’s statements require olnrifu-n twin. In the process we hope that il

will lie found that lie dees not intern

to dishonour the salary agreement with It In* Service organisations. To make such a proposal, without even alluding to 4hejexistence of such an agreement, is a position in which we could hardly expect the Prime Minister to rest.”