“SALARY RACKET”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 246, 28 July 1943, Page 3

“SALARY RACKET”

COMMERCIAL RADIO SERVICE. EARNINGS ON WATERFRONT, 1 RECRIMINATIONS IN THE HOUSE.; (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 27. Consideration of tho Estimates was resumed in the House of Representatives this afternoon. Discussing the Labour Department vote, the Acting-Leader of the 'Opposition (Mr W. J. Poison) dclared that Mr James Roberts, a member of the Waterfront Control Commission, had delivered political addresses in Auckland and Dargaville. He asked if the situation was that men drawing salaries in the Government service were to go about the country carrying on political activities on behalf of the Labour Party. He also stated that in Auckland watersiders working at eight were provided with a free meal which cost the authorities 4s 6d a head, ...and they wore paid for the time during which they ate it. Mr Poison added - that lie had been informed that 426 A-grado men employed on the Auckland waterfront averaged £746 .as earnings during the last 12 months, whereas B-grade mop. earned only £350. The people would like to know why there was such a difference. The Prime Minister said the remarks concerning' Mr Roberts were too paltry, for there were many men drawing income from the Government under emergency conditions. Men like Mr Roberts had been asked to help, and it would be stupid to curtail their ordinary civil activities. Tho Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) said the address given in Auckland by Mr Roberts was an appeal for the war funds, and he had paid his own expenses to Dargaville. Tho difference between A and B grade men on the waterside was that the latter were old or sick men. He also considered that if men wore asked to work 16 to 18 hours a. day it was necessary to provide them with meals. It used-, to cost 7s to provide watersiders with meals, butt now the cost had been .re- ..... duced to 3s 6d. . Referring to gas shortages in various centres in the Dominion. Mr Webb said the reason was mainly that gas undertakings had installed retorts of a type that depended on Australian coal, and these were not suitable for* the use of New. Zealand coal. Australian coal was not obtainable', and ft "was a mistake to think that watersiders were responsible for the gas shortage. Salaries Criticised. Mr J. A. Lee criticised the salary of £1250 a year paid to Mr James Roberts as a member of the Waterfront Commission. Mr Roberts was the highest paid of any new employee of the State since the war broke out. Tho Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry): You did not mention ("Scrim?” Mr Fraser said Mr Leo had always been an. advocate of largo salaries, particularly for his friends, and in this connection the Prime Minister spoke of a man "wliqso hands did not shako 'when ho tried to put across a racket for £7OOO a year.” Mr Lee: The right lion, member knows who fixed the £7OOO a-year. .It was the Minister of Finance, against my will. Mr Fraser: I know who stopped it. I did. The hon. gentleman did 'not try to stop it. Continuing, Mr Fraser contended that Me Lee’s attack was inspired because he disagreed with Mr Roberts politically. The reason for Mr Roberts’ slaary was that certain men were wanted as commissioners who were earning high incomes in their private capacity, and their salaries had to bear some relationship to what they were earning at their own work. Mr Lee said he had nothing to do with the fixation of the salary of tho present Controller of Broadcasting or of the late Controller of Commercial Broadcasting. Mr Webb said the fixation of salaries was determined before the Waterfront Commission was appointed. When it was realised that the commissioners handled goods to the value of more than £200,000,000 it would be seen that the salaries were not very large. One of the first men to protest against high salaries was Mr Roberts himself.