ALL PUBLIC WORKS ON RELIEF BASIS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 233, 25 May 1932, Page 5

ALL PUBLIC WORKS ON RELIEF BASIS

wages cut 20 p.c. POLICY ANNOUNCED IN MARCH : BROUGHT INTO OPERATION ALL WORKERS AFFECTED t r • ! • - • WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A move in the direction of turning the whole of the Public Works undertahings throughout New Zealand on to a purely relief basis has been made by effectihg wage reductio'n's?of up to 20 per- cent., according to an "official" announcement made "today.

This action is in accordance with the policy outlined by the Ministet of Public Works, the Rt- Hon. J. G. Coates, in a statement to the House of Representatives on March 1, when he announced that' the expenditure on public works of' borrowed' money wohld have to be reduced to about one-fourth Of the amount speht'last year. The basid wage for all unskilled work ers in the Department will be j reduced by 20 per cent., namely

from 12/6 a day to 10/- a day, thus placing them on the same f ooting as relief workers as" far as actual pay for a day's'work is concerned. However,' they will'receive different treatment fn" that they will be provided with a full week's work, ifrespective of whether they are married or single.

Proportionate reductions will be made "for the skilled and semi-skilled Workers, arid in" thi's'" instance "the present ' ■sys'tem ' of grading will be retained. ' * The reduction will be made on the basis of the man's grading, and although the wage cuts may vary, it is understood that they will in no instance be over 20 per cent. Co-operative workers will also suffer reductions and piece-work wages also will be cut in proportion, so that these men7 will 'receive proportionately the same wages as'those who will be subject to the reductions.