PUBLIC SERVICE CUT

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1929, Page 3

PUBLIC SERVICE CUT

Mil COATES FAVOURS CERTAIN INCREASES. AVEFLING'im Nov. 25. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Coates, in an interview, replied to the speech of Mr H. E. Holland, reported as having been delivered at AVestport on Friday. “Ihe laet is,’’ said Mr Coates, “that when the Reform Government reduced the salaries of the public servants (including members of Parliament) in 19:2, the whole country was suffering from the effects of a very severe slump: The economic, situation was almost critical, and the Government had appealed to the whole community to take in sail to enable it to weather the storm. So far as the public servants were concerned, the only alternatives were entered for all State employees to accept a ..percentage reduction, or else lor Departments to make ends meet by discharging a large number of employees. This was the situation in 1922, and the Government of the day was proud of the very way. in which the public servants had then faced the realities of the situation, and ae-' center! the adjustments. “At the same lime the Reform Government promised the publ'c- servants that their position would lie- reviewed at the earliest possible moment that the finances of the country permitted. Further ,the salaries of nearly all public servants were afterwards increased as the. result- of reclassification. Having given an undertaking before, the General Election that after the elections (at latest by April, 1929) the Government, when regrading and reclassification were under review, would consider the amount of the increase to be granted to public servants. “I suggested in the House last session an immediate increase of £lO in maxima for men on £240, £265 and £295 limits. This was done before the half-yearly financial statement was presented, and when the United Government was still keeping the country in the- dark about the financial position. At the same time, Mr Holland and the Labour Party were,engaged in a sham fight with their friends, tfie United .Govern,-! nient. The j Labour Party -produced. a motion recommending.the Government to make an increase, in publje ser-, vice salaries, but this motion was cun-, ningly .worded , in - such, a way as* to ensure, that it..could, not be carried. It; was suggested, in the House that tfie wording of the motion might not have been the result of thg unaided work of Labour members, of, if.it were their own work, it was certainly designed.to, avoid embarrassing the Government by any risk of its going through. There was quite unnecessary and irrelevant reference to the original ‘cut’ as ‘an unjust Levy.’ This expression, in effect a. vote of condemnation on the previous Government, cannot have been included for any other) purpose than that, of deterring Reform members fromsi;porting it. If, Mr Holland, and. the- Labour; Party., were genuine in. their, desire tp. assist the public servants, and not.,actuated, -as appearances suggest, solely by considerations: of Pagtv,, why, :could they not have confined their, motion,..to the. single essential of-,, recommending -an. increase in salaries.’' yt -,.y

Mr Coates said that he and the.-Re-form members .in the House had clearly, and emphatically stated that they were in favour of such an increase had the matter been left at that. “Now that the half-yearly figures are available, and the revenue is found to be in a very healthy condition,” said Mr Coates, “I wish to state with a full sense of responsibility, and with intimate knowledge both of the capacity of the Departments to pay, and also of the struggles of the lower paid public service offices, that I am prepared to increase by £ls per annum the maxima for men at £240, £265 and £295 limits. In saying this I know the feelings of mv associates in Parliament.”