NAVAL CONDITIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 June 1939, Page 5

NAVAL CONDITIONS

INCREASED ALLOWANCES GRANTED ANNOUNCEMENT OF CABINET DECISIONS. RATES OF PAY NOW BEING CONSIDERED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. Adjustments in the marriage and children’s allowances granted to ratings in the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy were announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, following consideration by Cabinet yesterday afternoon. Members of the Naval Board and heads of the Service conferred in the morning with the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones. Mr Savage said that for. some time past the Government had had under consideration the effect of the present cost of living on the conditions of ratings in the New Zealand Naval Forces in relation to their pay and allowances. The formulation of proposals occupied much time and yesterday was the first occasion on which Cabinet met since they were completed. Cabinet had decided to substitute the following rates of marriage and children’s allowance for those now in force, the new rates to take effect as from June 1, 1939:

(a) The present marriage allowance of 2s a day (equal to 14s a week) to be converted to a weekly rate of £1 a week. (b) The children’s allowance to be converted from 6d a day (equal to 3s 6d a week) to 5s a week. (c) The maximum amount for marriage and 'children’s allowances to be fixed at £2 5s a week, compared with £1 15s as at present. “The new rates will, of course. apply to Imperial and New Zealand ratings," said Mr Savage. “At the same time the Government has had under consideration matters relating to wages, and this investigation is being continued.”