WAGES INCREASE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21204, 29 August 1940, Page 2

WAGES INCREASE

PROTEST FORWARDED CAMBRIDGE POWER BOARD (Special to Times) CAMBRIDGE, Thursday The monthly meeting of the Cambridge Power Board was held in the board room last night, when there were present Messrs M. Wells (chairman), R. Fisher, J. W. Garland, W. Moore, D. Bourke, B. N. Garland, J. T. Entwisle, J. H. Brook, the secretary-manager (Mr F. M. Oliver) and the engineer (Mr H. C. Oaten). Advice was received from the Ministry of Supply in reply to the board concerning the disposal of scrap copper wire. The department thanked the board for its co-opera-tion and efforts to avoid waste. It ; stated that advice would be sent j later. The Government policy was ' not to interfere with private persons I collecting the metal, as eventually it j all reached the right quarter, i A further letter from the District ; Electric Engineer requested the | board to dispose of its waste copper I to a manure manufacturing firm. The secretary stated that he had written to the firm, but so far no reply had been received. Board’s Protest Communications were received : from the Power Boards’ Association and the Employers’ Federation rej garding the 5 per cent increase in ; award wages. The latter body drew ' attention to the fact that the 5 per cent increase applied to stand-by I time. i The chairman said the increase ! would cost the board £l5B per an- ; num. The crux of the situation was, j “Who is going to pay it?” j Mr Garland: I suppose we will j have to pass it on. In reply to members Mr Wells | said he was quite definite in his ! | opinion that all workers receiving | £5 10s or over should have to pay the tax. | It was decided to forward a letter | of protest to the Prime Minister, the | Minister of Finance and to the Power Boards’ Association, against any : workers receiving £6 a week and j over being given the 5 per cent inj crease in wages which appeared to ' offset the additional Is in the pound ! tax; and further, to point out that 23 bodies of award workers had I been given advances in wages or j shorter hours within a period of three months of the issuing of the I 5 per cent increase in wages. The matter of raising the wages ;of employees of the board not i governed by an award was held over ; to the next meeting, j The engineer’s report mentioned ! total connections in the board’s area i numbered 1910, a net gain of 14 for . i the period.