NAVAL PAY

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1931, Page 6

NAVAL PAY

REDUCTIONS ORDERED. CUTS TO TAKE EFFECT IN N.Z. AUCKLAND, September 17. Cable advice was received from the British Admiralty a few days ago ordering a reduction in pay of all Imperiod ratings serving on. warships in New Zealand waters.

Tile cuts affect approximately 300 officers and men, and are confined to H.M.S. Laburnum and H.M.S. Veronica. The crews of H.M.S. Dunedin and H.M.S. Diomede, who belong to the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, and a re paid by the New Zeaand Government, are not affected by the reduction although it is 'tliat their ipay will be subject to a 10 per cent!" cut, similar to the Civil Service cut, in the not very -.remote future. These men in fact, are the only Government servants to which the cut lias not yet been applied.

Imperial ratings on the Dunedin and Diomede have/already been informed of the reductions ordered from Home, and the announcement has been received in a 'philosophical manner. It is estimated that over 50 per cent, of the men are married, and that many of the single men support relatives at Home.

. Sailors loaned to the New Zealand Division from, the British Navy receive a higher scale of pay, the rate being generally one-third more than, that paid in England. The following figures indicate the figures in each case'being .the new-scale for the British the reduced scale for the New-'Zealand Division:— Per week — : British N.Z. Navy. Division.

sd s d Chief petty officer 52 6 66 2

Leading seaman Able seaman

30 4 50 5 21 0 44 0

Ordinary seaman 14 0 31 6