PUBLIC SERVICE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 October 1939, Page 9

PUBLIC SERVICE

ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE ADDRESSES BY-HON W. NASH AND PRESIDENT. SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION EMPHASISED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The Government had worked hard for four years, during which time it had been helped splendidly by the Public Service, and it was looking forward to a continuance of that co-oper-ation and help in an endeavour to build the country in the way it thought the country could be built from the wonderful resources available, said the Minister’ of Finance, Mr Nash, at the opening of the annual conference of the Public Service Association yesterday. Appreciation of the co-operation and assistance received from the Public Service by the Government since it took office was expressed by the Minister. He said he thought that those in the service today were living up to its splendid traditions. OVERTIME RATES. Referring to matters which had been brought to the notice of the Government by the association, Mr Nash said that if there was one thing more than another which he thought should be dealt with, it was overtime rates and allowances. The Public Service Commissioner was not to blame; he had forwarded recommendations suggesting that the overtime rates should be adjusted, because they were unfair. There was an injustice there and he would bring the matter before Cabinet this week. Another matter Was the question of cadets and the allowance to them when they were away from home. There was a provision in the Fair Rents Act to allow of something being done in that direction, but he doubted whether anything could be done that would be very effective. If there were temporary employees engaged in work which justified their getting more pay and being lifted up into higher grades, the Commissioner had done that in quite a number of cases, and the Commissioner had assured him that he would continue to do so. Next there was the question of the basic rate for married men. Whether the Government could provide for that he did not know. However. he would be glad to look into it some time before the end of the year. Ho did not think anything could be done for the moment about the right of appeal. On the general evidence it appeared that if the Government did what the association thought should be

done the Government would run into difficulties in other directions. “DEPRESSION JUNIORS.” The Minister said he did not think that salaries could be paid fortnightly now, but he would be glad to look into that question. As for the question of “depression juniors"—persons who joined the service during the depression at an older age than usual —he said he thought that was next in importance to overtime rates and allowances. He hoped that the question of “depression juniors” and that of basic rates of pay for married men would be dealt with before the end of the year. The country was going through very difficult times, but in the next year or two they might be more difficult than had ever been experienced. The Government would want the loyalty of all as a nation and all their help. It might be that some sacrifices would be required also, but he hoped not in the general sense of the term. The Government would try to take the resources that came into being and see that they were fairly and equitably distributed among the people in accordance with the service they rendered, and if they were not able to render service, to make sure that they had the things to make life worth while.

DIFFICULT AND STIRRING TIMES. Welcoming Mr Nash, the president. Mr T. Pound, said that, though loyalty to the Government was one of the first essentials of the Public Service at all times he should assure the Minister of the undoubted loyalty of members of the service. They should cheerfully accept any necessary sacrifices. Members of the association were not unmindful of what the Government had done for the service, commencing with the restoration of pay cuts in 1936. and appreciated the fairness with which the Government had met them in other matters. However, many of them, to put it mildly, were somewhat impatient at the Government’s notice. He hoped that as a result of Mr Nash's visit to the conference they might expect an early decision.

RECORD MEMBERSHIP. The total membership as shown in

the annual report of the association is a record. The figure, as at the end of June, was 14,808, compared with 13.961 at the end of June last year, an increase of 847. Two sections (Hawke's Bay and Taranaki) recorded 100 per cent financial membership, and 10 sections showed fewer than 20 unfinancialmembers at the end of the year. There are 13.921 authorities for monthly deductions in operation, an increase of approximately 30 per cent, compared with the number for the previous year. Of the total membership 97 per cent was financial at the end of June, a result which has not been attained previously. The turnover of the Public' Service' Investment Society. Limited, for the year ended March 31 last was a record. being £117.000. which is expected to be surpassed in the present financial year. Appreciation is expressed of the work of the section committees and section officials, which, it is stated, has been largely responsible for the fact that the organisation is stronger today that at any other time in the association's history.