BIG SALARY INCREASES

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2384, 26 January 1922, Page 3

BIG SALARY INCREASES

A table published in a southern paper comparing the salaries of certain heads of departments and municipal officers was quoted by the Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill.) in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The list showed that salaries in 1921 were £2OO to £4OO higher than in 1913. Mr HananAisked if the Prime Minister thought he was justified in defending these increases, notwithstanding the contemplated percentage reduction, in view of the financial embarrassment of the country.

The Prime Minister said that the increases were, spread over a number, of years, and were statutory. Some of the legislation under which the increases, were made was placed upon the Statute Book, he believed when Mr Hanan was a member of the National Government. He would take the opportunity of looking into the schedule, but he thought it would be found that the persons receiving the salaries had received increments year by year until they had attained the maximum for the position, and then they had retired and had been replaced by men receiving the minimum. He made it plain that if members wished to go further in salary reduction he was quite willing to do so; but he asked members to treat their own salaries just the same. Mr Hanan: “We are.”