P. & T. WAGES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 6 January 1931, Page 6

P. & T. WAGES

SUGGESTED REDUCTIONS

ATTITUDE OF SERVICE

The attitude of the Post and Telegraph Service in the present economic situation is set out in an editorial in its official organ, “The Katipo.” “The unfortunate drop in prices, for some ,of our primary products, on the English and local markets has been undoubtedly responsible for the wave of pessimism which has fallen like a mantle over the Dominion/’ states the article. “There is no doubt but that the present' economic position is serious, and warrants the earnest attention of every section of the community. Already there are indications that the sympathies of the general public are with those unfortunate struggling farmers who have been hard hit as the result of the fall in prices referred to. We have every reason to believe that. the public will bo prepared to assist in every reasonable way to tide our farmer friends over their present difficulties, should the occasion den)and it. . . . “In dealing with the position that obtains at the moment, we have no desire to dilate on the possible causes for the fall in prices, but we would remind our readers that similar conditions have obtained in the Dominion before, but as the result of the .judicious application ot prudence, these adverse circumstances were successfully overcome. and as a consequence, these periods of economic depression were superseded by seasons ot general prosperity.

HUMAN AFFAIRS UNSTABLE

“One of our old philosophers has recorded the fact that there is nothing stable in human affairs and that we should therefore avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in times of adversity. From present indications it would appear that the lessons to be learned from the economic history of our own country and the experience of leained and philosophic men of the past, have been lightly set aside by certain individuals who, at the present time aie ■playing a somewhat prominent pait m the public affairs of our country. This i s apparent when we find that, almost simultaneous with the decline m prices previously referred to, these geptleme have allowed themselves to be stampeded into a condition of panic, that the position, serious as it may be, does not 3 “At the moment we have before us newspaper reports of resolutions carried at meetings in various parts ot the Dominion, which are more or less of a stereotyped nature, advocating 1 eductions' in Public service salaries as one medium 'whereby the farmers may be compensated for the reduced prices they are receiving for their produce.

■i :•‘PRINCELY SALARIES” “At, one of these meetings, reference made to the 'princely salaries received by Public servants,’ etc. We do not desire to take any serious exception to mis-statements of this kind, because they are so palpably inaccurate particularly when applied to the Post and Telegraph Department, and identical with statements which have, repeatedly been made in the past, especially when market prices for primary produce have had a downward tendency. We are at a loss to understand why such irrational statements are made use of. neither can we follow the reasoning of these people who are evidently exceedingly . anxious to lower the rate of remuneration for Pub-

lie servants. Apparently the chief coinplaint just now is that they are receiving inadequate prices for tho goods they produce. In other words, that they are not being properly remunerated for their labour. Yet while they consider themselves hardly dealt with on this score, they in turn openly advocate similar treatment to another section of the community which, instead of being the recipients of princely incomes, as alleged by them, are at the best but poorly paid. “Our contention that the service is poorly paid has been admitted by man\ public arid business men, after they have investigated the salary position as it affects the members of the Post, and Telegraph service. We could, if we so desired, quote innumerable instances of the inadequacy of payment, from the secretary of the department downwards, but we do not consider that the time is opportune to do so.

PRICES FOR PRIMARY PRODUCE

“We previously referred to the fact that when prices for primary produce were lowered to the point where some ot the farming community were temporarily embarrassed, the general tendency had been to attack the wages of Public servants. But we have yet to learn of any overtures being made in the direction of improving the economic position of the employees of the Slate when peak prices were obtained for the same commodities. Our experience has been that during periods of prosperity, the general tendency has been to decrease direct taxation, a legislative process that benefited the general taxpayer, and at the same time prejudiced the prospects of a general salary increase for the members of the Public Service. Hence we have the Public servant in the unenviable position of being practically a non-partici-pant in the appreciable benefits that accrue to certain sections of the community in times of prosperity, offered up as a sacrifice on the altar of Mammon m times of financial adversity. “If it is the intention, as stated m some quarters, to make a general reduction of wages in the Dominion, and such action is taken without a corresponding reduction in the cost of living eventuating, we feel secure in making the assertion that instead of the present economic position of the country being relieved, it will be decidedly aggravated. Statistics prove conclusively that wages in the Dominion have not increased in ratio to the known increase in the cost of living, and further, that when reductions have been made in wages, on not one occasion has there been a corresponding fall in the general price of commodities. As far as tire members of the service are concerned, the increases they have received in wages during the period of increased prices has been approximately 30 per cent,, whereas the cost of living lias increased over 60 per cent.

HIGH STANDARD OF SERVICE “Despite the fact that the members of the service generally have been receiving a lower wage standard than m 1914, they "have not failed to render an exceedingly high standard of service to the State. This lias been freely commented on by members of Parliament, business men/and influential visitors from overseas. Surely then, under such circumstances, it would be palpablv unfair to inflict a further wage reduction on a service that is to-day underpaid, and has had to suffer these conditions when other sections of the community have been enjoying the fruits of prosperity. “We feel sure,” concludes, the article, “that the Government, which is fully aware of the economic position of the members of the service, will not lend a receptive ear to any overtures that are made in the direction of making the lot of the post and telegraph employee any harder to bear than it is at present, and will see to it that this large body of employees who have loyally and effi-ciently-performed their dutv to the State, will receive reciprocal treatment in return.”