LOWER SALARIES.
BIG PROTEST MEETING. GATHERING AT WELLINGTON. PROPOSALS CONDEMNED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. /Wellington, Last Night. A big meeting of State employees was held in the own Hall to-night to discuss the Government’s Bill proposing a reduction of salaries. The organisations represented were the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association, the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and the Railway Officers’ Institute’. There were speakers from each of the bodies mentioned, after which the meeting was thrown open for general discussion, in which the Government proposals were roundly condemned. The following motion woa passed unanimously by the meeting, which it is estimated close on three thousand attended:— “This general meeting of Wellington public servants enters a strong protest and an emphatic protest against the proposals to reduce their salaries as outlined in the Public Expenditure Adjustment Bill on the grounds: (1) The basic wage of £165 in 1914 was only increased by 66 per cent, when the April, 1920, adjustment took place; (2) although the cost of living subsequently rose to 80 per cent, above the 1914 level no adjustment was made to restore the loss of spending power in public service incomes; (3) the cost of living having not yet receded to 46 per cent, above the 1914 level no adjustment on the basis of the cost of living is due; (4) the present proposals are therefore nothing more or less than special taxation levelled against one section of the community, a section which in the aggregate is" far less able to bear the burden of a tax than other sections. It is impossible to reconcile this special tax on public servants, the majority of whom are only on bread and butter lines, while at the same time special relief is being given to the wealthy per bhe medium of rebates. It cannot be shown that the duties of public servants have been lightened in weight or in responsibility since the basis of their remuneration was last fixed, and the meeting therefore calls upon the Wellington members of Parliament to oppose the proposals both on principle and in detail.”
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Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1922, Page 5
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348LOWER SALARIES. Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1922, Page 5
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