The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1880.

Kumara Times, Issue 1017, 5 January 1880, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 1880.

Tim action of the various telegraphic operators throughout the colony in almost unanimously refusing duty at a minutes notice, would at the first glance appear an act deserving of the highest censure and public disapprobation. Circumstances, however, alter cases, and in this instance we find that the officers of the Telegraph depart ment have at least some justifiable grounds for their present action. A circular was, on the first of last month, forwarded to the Officer-in-Charge of every telegraph office throughout the colony, stating that “from and after the Ist January, 1880, the payments hitherto'made in the Telegraph Department for overtime will cease. This decision has been arrived at by the Government aftercareful consideration, which has satisfied them that the change of system will not only be conducive to the advantage of the Public service, but also to the real interests of the officers concerned. On account of the abolition of overtime and the somewhat extended hours of duty which will in many cases be required from the officers of this Department, increases of salary to a considerable ] a 33 re o' l te amount have been proposed in the Estimates recently submitted to Parliament, and it was in consideraof the reas ms for such addition heiii" I ° i explained to the House of Representa- j lives by the Commissioner, that all j the increases proposed were sanctioned, j

This is the only Department of the Public Service to which this concession has been granted. Nothing could appear more satisfac tory than this statement, from the fact that although the payment for overtime was to be abolished, the salaries of the various officers would be increased, thus equalising the proposed reduction. Within fourteen days of this intimation, however, the various telegraph officers were informed that from the Ist of January the goldfields allowance of 20 per cent, would be reduced by 10 per cent., and, after the Ist July, be abolished altogether. The cause assigned for this action on the part of the Hon. the Telegraph Commissioner was that, from careful inqui- 1 lies made, it was found that living was not any more expensive on what is known as goldfields stations than at most of the principal town's within the colony. This argument may be a very good one in theory, but should the Hon. the Commissioner of Telegraphs individually reside in a goldfields township for a short time, we think that his present opinion of the cost of living therein would quickly undergo a most complete transformation. Then again, on reference to the Estimates, we find that there certainly has been an increase made in the salary of many of the officers in the Telegraph department, at the rate of 10 per cent, on salaries of .£IOO and over. This ,however, far from being an increase, is, under the present system, a reduction in the salaries of the operators. For instance, a telegraphist in receipt of £IOO per annum under the old regulations, would receive 20 per cent, on his salary as goldfields allowance, and on an average about £2O a year for overtime, thus making £l4O per annum. The same person under the piesent system, will receive £llO per annum, with the overtime and goldfields allowance abolished, with the satisfaction, however (if any), that his services had been recognised by the Government by an increase of salary. Under these circumstances can it he for one moment surprising that the telegraphists throughout the colony should feel aggrieved at the action of the Government on the recommendation of the Hon. the Commissioner of Telegraphs, and that the strike which has occurred in this department of the Civil Service within the last few days was but the natural result of this injudicious and extraordinary manner of attempting to effect departmental retrenchment, under the guise of liberal salaries, less labor, and extra efficiency?