WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 January 1922, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE SALARIES CUT. CONTINUED PROTESTS. SPECIAL TO GUAttDIAN. WELLINGTON, Jan. 25 The storm of protests against tlie proposals of the Public Expenditure Adjustment Bill continues, but there is a growing disposition on the jfet, of the more responsible critics to moderate the tone of their objections. On this account their representations are likely to be all the more effective. In tile House last night, indeed, Mr Massey conceded Several Of the points urged by the Opposition and? preserved throughout the preliminary committee discussion d. spirit iff “sweet reasonableness.” He promised concessions to married men with Idrgfe families and to junior employees with small salaries and undertook the Second “cut” should lie postponed until July ahd the third till the first quarter of next year. The first cut had to be made during the current quarter simply because the Government needed the money to “make ends meet.” The amount the Minister now expects to save by the reduction ef salaries is £1,885,840, an amended estimate which implies he expects his promised concessions to cost him a considerable Sum. LABOUR’S ATTITUDE. Though the official Labour Party has modified its demand for the exemptioii of salaries of £SOO a year to salaries of £450 a year, it continues to insist that the money required should be obtained by increased land ahd income taxes. Mr Holland seems to think there is no burden the large land-owner and the big business man are incapable of bearing and that Mr Massey’s refusal to shift the whole load on to their shoulders is another indication of his class prejudice. He twitted Mr Wilford with inconsistency in having first condemned the bill and then voted for its 1 second reading and when the Liberal leader explained he had voted for the second reading in order to show his approval of the reduction of members salaries, he described conduct of that kind as mere camouflage, designed to deceive the unwary. If Mr Holland really is the friend of the State employees * he is not going to work very wisely in maligning their other friends. CASUAL CRITICISM.

Severe criticism of the bill came not only from the official Labour Party. Other members denounced in xinmeasured terms its principles and their application. Dr Thacker, for instance, declared the Prime Minister had “torn up the scrap of paper” and had dishonoured his agreements with the public servants. He did not believe that the Minister during the past two jears had made one fair and ope* statement of the condition of the country’s fmnaces. The Reform party had squandered the public moneys and stuffed the Public Service with incompetent employees. The member for Christchurch East held the attention of the House by his very intensity; but the Hon J. A. Hattan by his moderation was mUcli more impressive. He read a list of big salaries raided by £3OO or £4OO since the beginning of the war and wanted to know how the increases were to be justified. And no justification was forthcoming. ABOUT THE CITY. The business people of Wellington, though not directly affected by the cut in the salaries of State employees, are taking a very keen inerest in what is happening in Parliament just now. The galleries of the House have been more fully occupiecd during the discussion of the “Retrenchment” Bill than they were at any time during the course of the war when .even bigger issues were at stake. The general opinion among the local public, so far as it can be gathered, is that Mr Massey lias faced the big task before him with admirable courage and candour, but with less intimate knowledge of the situation than he should have possessed. The plain truth of the matter is that he does not grasp the meaning and significance of figures as quickly as Sir Harry Atkinson and Mr John Balance did and has not the same capable official assistance as Mr Seddon and Sir Joseph Ward always commanded. Public financiers are born not made, and their number is always limited.