WAGE CUTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 188, 1 April 1932, Page 5

WAGE CUTS

("Post Special Commissioner.) .1

government's decision not - expected for some " time " :: , GRADUATED SCALE MENTIONED

WELLINGTON, Thursday". An announcement of the Goverri-* ment's inte-ntions in reference to further salary cuts in the Publie Ser? vice is heing eagerly awaited, hut it is stqted that it will be som.e little time before Cabinet reaches a definite decision on the point. The Nationdl Expenditure Cojnmittee recommended a reduction of ten per cent in all Puhlic Service salaries and wages aS from April 1, resulting in a total saving qf approxhnately £1,250,000 and members of the Economic Cqlh'* mittee expressed the view that sucl) a rednction was necqssary in ordq| to bring down wages in coqformity with the fall in real incoxne. In view of these opinions, it is cp% sidered practically certain that re^ ductions in salaries will be made, bjl^ the suggeston has been put forwarj that the Government might adppt ti graduated scale instead of a flpt rate reduction of 10 per cent. When the last wage cuts were made, sevqra| members of the Reform party (then the official Opposition), suggested a graduated scale and Mr. Coates him1 self suggested that some provision should be made to pieot cases of workr ers who were already on the bread line. The National Expenditure Comr mittee gave sqme consideration to thq questiqn of a graduated scale, but declined tp recommend if Qwing to tho possibility of anomilies. During the emergency session of last year Mr. Forbes stated that he had been inclined in the first place tp form a graduated scale, but on going thoroughly into tho "matter he ha'd ' found that it would not result in the saving that was desirod. !