SALARIES CUT.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1922, Page 1

SALARIES CUT.

[in TELEGRAPH- —PKU PRESS ASSOCIATION

W AIR Alt APA PROTEST.

MASTERTON. Jan 25,

A meeting, comprising 200 civil servants. representing every Government Department and all parts of the Wairarapa, and a number of the general public passed a, resolution to-night cm. phaticnllv protesiing against the proposed salary reductions, and calling on local members of Parliament to oppose the Bill.

MODIFICATIONS PROPOSED

WELLINGTON, Jan 25

Mr Mrs-cv lias intimated the first salary cut will be made as from January Ist last, but the second 1 would not be till July Ist. The third cut will be on January Ist next. This means tbe three cuts will occupy 15 instead of 6

months. Married men and cadets would

be allowed to state their eases for a lesser reduction. Re cadets, they would

take only £ls in all, adjustments later, He expected to save £BOO.O'V <

first cut, £700,000 in the second, and £650,000 in the third, or £1,885,840 instead of £2,000.0Q0 at first proposed. Where increments wore due, they would lie allowed.

An amendment allows the exclusion of any servant, society, or association from the from the cuts where, liv an agreement, a similar saving can he otherwise affected. Where salaries exceed £IOO. a new clause provides the reductions are to be £ls per annum; above £320, they will ho £2O per annum; and above £SOO £25 iior annum; whilst for £l9O or less the reduction shall: he £lO per annum.

Mr Massey said the cost of living reduction more than the whole year. He referred to reductions in meat and groceries. Bread would be reduced next month. Cloth in-' showed an important drop, also candles and kerosene. Suits were down to £5 or £6 English drapery was down 10 to 60 per cent.

Members generally scouted the alleged reductions and called insistently for the Statistician’s figures. They denied the drapery, clothing, and general reductions alleged. It was contended no ]0 per cent, reduction of the increases over 1914 had occurred this year. Mr Massey said the Government in •addition to the cuts, lied to save another million somehow.

BTENHETM MASS MEETING

BLENHEIM. Ann 25

A mass meetink of Civil Servants discussed the Government’s nropnscd reduction of salaries. A resolution was carried

That this combined meeting of Civil Servants most emphatically protests against- tho proposed reduction of salaries and wages on tho following grounds:— (a) A flagrant breach of the agreement- is proposed, inasmuch as a 30 per cent, out is pronosod. when the cost of living is alleged t» have fallen only 10 per cent.

(h) The reason -.riven as a justification seems unsound and illogical, in view of the rebates on land tax and income tax. the very operation of which benefits the wealthy only. Any hard up individual it was intended to help, not having the ready cash on due date, doe-s not participate. (c) It is nothing more than special taxation which should he held in abhorrence in this democratic country. (d) As the country’s interest is not the sole concern, any deficiency should be met by a general tax on nTT. (o) That the method -of reduction places the greatest pro rata reduction on the shoulders of those least able to beta it, when its operations should have the reverse effect,