COST OF THE SPECIALS.

Te Puke Times, Volume II, Issue II, 19 December 1913, Page 3

COST OF THE SPECIALS.

EXPLANATION BY MINISTER. In theHouseof Representatives on Monday last, when the Supplementary Estimates were brought down, Sir Joseph Ward asked for some details in connection with the ".item of £100,000 forexpenditure;incurred in connection with the Watersiders' strike. Are the whole of the special constables to be paid ?" he asked, " and at what rate are they to be paid ?" He also asked if allowances were made over and above their. pay.. All sorts of statements were being made ahoutthis matter, and it would be just'as well to know the actual circumstances. The Hon. MrHerdman replied that no special allowances were made at all to special constables. The mounted specials received 10s a day for man aqd horse. As to the foot specials, if they claimed the moneyt they would be paid 8s per day, but a great many in Wellington were not claiming anything. In land; he understood, they were being paid the Bs. The amount of £100,000, explained the Minister, was only an estimate. It. was very difficult to say at the present what the cost would be. No foot specials' remained in Wellington, Christchurch or Dunedin, while at Lyttelton the services would be dispensed with after the election. The mounted specials in Wellington would be reduced this'week to about a hundred. At present, added Mr Herdman, it was impossible to give details. •.