SALARY CUTS

Hokitika Guardian, 23 October 1929, Page 3

SALARY CUTS

LABOUR LEADER DISAPPOINTED AT REFUSAL. AFTER MINISTERS HAD UPHELD h. ,v - iJrLNX’IPLE. ' '*> (By Press Association. > WELLINGTON, Oct. 22. Mr. H. E, Holland, Leader oi the j^abouk’Party,' in a statement to the press, said that lie was wholly disappointed w.th the pronouncement made by the Prime Minister respecting the public servants’ salaries. He was certain that the whole Labour Movement would be equally disappointed.

It was clear, he said, that the public servants of New Zealand had confidently expected that the injustices inflicted upon them by the Reform Government would be righted by the present Administration. The .reductions made under the provisions of the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act, 1921, had not only heavily penalised the public servants, but had depreciate’d the general purchasing power of the community, and. consequently had- adversely affected file'whole ecoArimic coriditioh of • New Zealand.

M as if part of the purpose of thelßefrirm-Government in making thes reductions was to enable heavy taxation, remissions tc be made to the very wealthy land and income: tax (payers; At the time of the pnssi.bg of the-'Act, a definite promise vvas.'giv.en that a restoration would be made wh,eh. 'thrii ’ conditions improved. This was insisted upon on more than one occasion by the members of the present Administration. For instance, op August 29th. 1924, Mr Wilford had' moved in the House in favour of the P. and T. employees earning £320 a year and under being restored to the 1914 standard. This was defeated by 30 votes to 28 votes. Among those who vOted for the proposal were Messrs Atmore, de la Perelle, Forbes; Ngata, Wilford, Ransom, Sidey and Veitch. On August 30th. 1928, Mr McCombs, on behalf of the Labour Party, moved to? the effect that since the rates ' paid in 1920 were based on a 62 per cent, increase in the cost of living,. which increase, had become stabilised; since .19214, the Public Service salaries ' should be restored to the 1920 standard. Among those who Voted with the . Labour Party were Messrs Atmore, Forbes, Ransom, Sidey, Veitch and Wilford:; so ■ that . not less. than eight of the present Cabinet Ministers had in the past, voted for what the public; servants were now demanding, arid which the Government had to-day refused. *>

The Acting-Leader of the Government, Hon. Mr Forbes (said Mr Holland) had, in justifying his .support of rthe amendment referred; to, recalled a promise given th,at : the , Cut would be restored whpn.cdMitibns, and had argued that the principles that woulff actuate apprivate -employer in such a case should also actuate the State; After eulogising the Public Service lie had suggested that now the service had come along and had insisted that the conditions had improved immensely in regard to the returns of the Departments, the Government should carry out the promise that was given when the rpdpetipris; were made He" considered , that the public' servants’ appeal as irresistible, and he did not know how it could be disregarded., It seemed to him that they had established a very clear case. Mr Holland, continuing, said-that in view of the votes given and the pronouncements made by every .pember of the present Cabinet, who was in the House on the different occasions when the questin of the Public Service salaries was raised, the country was entitled to expect that the Government would honour the commitments so, made. The statement of policy,'iust issued, however, contained no glimmer of hope for the overwhelping majority of the members of the Public Service, and the widespread dissatisfaction iri the. ranks, that had become 'more emphatically articulated within the past few months, would be Intensified one hundred fold.

P. AND T. MEN’S DISCONTENT. NAPIER, Oct. 21. A largely attended meeting of the Napier section of the Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association to-night resolved unanimously:—“That this section makes an emphatic protest against the prolonged delay in the appearance of the quinquennial re-classi-fication of the P. and T. Service, which was due on April Ist. Annual increments due to junior members in particular are now many months overdue, and the delay is causing considerable embarrassment to those officers. Furthermore, we protest against the continued low maxima of the General and Clerical Divisions, which are the main factors underlying seething discontent which exists; This section conveys to the members of the Execu-.: tive Committee its whole-heartdd support in any action they may take to secure salary improvements, and the appearance of the re-classification list., \ similar resolution was carried by the Hastings section.

. AUCKLAND TELEGRAPHISTS’ QUERY. AUCKLAND, Oct. 22. A telegram sent by the telegraphists of the Auckland offices to the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader, and the Labour Party Leader, reads ns.follows: “For your information : The. P. and T. Department is offering .promotion To two h.nud’rted men of the clerical to Class

■Six, maximum salary £320 per annum. This, in our, opinion, meant? that 200 men are to receive the “cuts” back, and the large majority are to be left lamenting, which is most contemptible, and will create further grave dissatisfaction in our service. If the country can pay an additional £200,000 for loan conversion purposes, and can make a gilt of £2,500,0(70 To the cable merger, without a murmur, surely the £200,000 which makes up our schedule demands can be complied with. As a re\ enne-producing Department, we do not cost the (. overnment, or public a penny, and we submit the Departmental depreciation account is nothing More than.’a smoke screen to hide our just- claims.” 1