THE COMMONWEALTH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8355, 15 February 1913, Page 9

THE COMMONWEALTH

"Oh,‘ Australia, fair and lovely. Empress of tho southern sea." According to. a statement issued by the Federal Treasury, the Commonwealth notes now in circulation have a total .value of £9,848,006. _ The gold reserve in the Treasury amounts to £4,326,070. The investments of the trust fund in debentures, stocks, or on fixed deposits are £5,735,000. It wiL be seen that tho investments and the gold reserve together come to more than th© value of tho notes in circulation. This is due to the accumulation of interest, which now amounts to £205,913. Mr D. C. MoLachlan, Federal Public Service Commissioner, has recommended increased rates of pay and some important alterations in the grading of officers in the general division. These recommendations having been approved by Government, they will take effect from March Ist. Practically all sections of the general division will benefit by the altered rates of pay, but tho principal classes of officers affected are grouped below. Letter carriers, assistants, mail drivers, typists, telephone monitors, senior messengers, and postal assistants will advance to a salary of £156, attainable by annual increments, instead of biennial increases, as formerly. Linemen will be paid a minimum salary of £132, and will also progress by annual increments to £156, and the rates of pay for senior linemen, line foremen, and line inspectors have been correspondingly improved. Sorters and senior sorters have been combined under one designation into a maximum of £IBO a year, to be attainable by yearly advancement. The maximum for mail officers has been raised from £228 to £240, and a higher scale of . increments has been provided.- Mechanics, senior mechanics, and foremen mechanics have also been given improved rates of pay, and conditions of advancement. Labourers who have hitherto been paid at the rate of £126 a year will now progress to £l3B a year by annual increments. Telephonists’ conditions have been 1m proved by reducing the length of service necessary to reach the maximum. The amended regulation will be issued at once, and the Public Service Commissioner will take tho necessary steps to effect the adjustment of sataries in. accordance with the new grading. Consideration was given by the Federal Government to the case of junior Commonwealth officials Who, although twenty-one years of age, did not receive £126 a year, and in the Executive Council an order was passed to the effect that in the case of each officer of the professional and clerical divisions of tho age of twentyone years, whose salary is less than £126 a year, an annual allowance shall be made sufficient to bring the salary up to that amount. The order wifi take effect from March Ist next. With regard to the general division of the service, nearly all officers over twentyone j eats of age are already receiving at tho rate of £126 a year. Four hundred circulars have been dispatched by the New South Wales United Cfperative Bricklayers’ Society to branches in Great Britain, pointing out the serious position now existing in that Stale, on tug to the great influx of bricklayers during the last year. The circular states that, owing to the Government embarking upon large public works, etc., there was early last year a decided shortage of workers in the building trade, and after conferences had been held it was decided to assist out, amongst others, 100 bricklayers, so as to cover up the deficiency, although at the time the society strongly objected to the granting of assisted passages. At the same time the Master Builders’ Association sent a representative (Mr Murray) over to England with the object of persuading workers in the building trade to emigrate.

“We regret (says the circular) that a good many took notice of the statements made, and on arrival here were repudiated by them; scores having called at the Trades Hall afterwards. The result is as we anticipated; instead of 100 bricklayers arriving here, there have been over 2000 in our trade alone, thereby overstocking the market; some have taken over other occupations, a good number have gone home disappointed and disheartened, ’ and we are sorry to state at the present time there are over '2OO in our trade alone walking the streets of Sydney and suburbs, most of whom would gladly return had they the means thereto. We may here state that those assisted bricklayers, and those promised jobs by the who were fortunate enough to be employed by the Government and M.8.A., were in nine cases out of ten only employed for a matter of a few weeks —some days—then turned off to make room fop others, so as to carry out their obligations, whilst the wages have been reduced down to the 12s minimum under our award. “The main reasons for this slump are that the Government is unable to proceed with its constructive policy, owing to the tightness of the money market, and the banks have also ceased to advance capital on speculative work. Another reason which to a certain extent diminishes employment is Cue fact that our trade here is more specialised than in Britain; tuckpointing, floor tiling, etc., being catered for by other unions. The cost of living has materially increased, and house rents which five years ago were 10s per week are now 30s to 205.” The valuation at which the Commonwealth will take over ifitzroy Dock for naval purposes will probably be £1,000,000, or thereabouts. It is to be a transaction on the basis of the transferred properties by which the Commonwealth pay the State 3i per cent, per annum on the capital value. No official figures are yet available, but the amount mentioned will be near the mark, apart, of course, from work already done and material obtained for the Commonwealth shipbuilding requirements. The Minister for Works stated that he was very pleased to be able to say that no hitch had taken place lietween the Commonwealth State officers in regard to the assessment. They had been throughout in complete with regard to values.