TELEGRAPH BOYS' PAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 149, 24 June 1911, Page 9

TELEGRAPH BOYS' PAY.

(To the Editor.) ; i Sir, —rln your issue of Tuesday, June 20th, under the heading "Telegraph Boy to Baronet," Sir Joseph Ward, in" a story of his life, told in «M.A.P:", said: ?AS a telegraph boy in the Postal and Telegraph Department, for which' I was afterwards Minister, I got £1 a week at the beginning, and Avhen I'left, -two; years later, that is at-the age of four-teeny I was earning £136 a year, -which will give some idea of wages in my country." But -I most respectfully submit the above figures do not represent the payment received by telegraph boys at the present time.WJbere in New Zealand is found the boy of 14 receiving £136 a year; or the boy of 12 whose pay from the Telegraph Department amounts to £1 a week? -Telegraph boys now receive a fraction under 12/ per week to start /with. I! think "M.A.P." must have mapped out Baronet Ward's early P.O. career erroneously, for I have lived and worked in -this land' of ours for close on 50 years, and can safely state that wages have gone lip fully 20 per cent since the time Sir Joseph Ward started his eventful career as a boy of 12, in the Post and Telegraph Department. Perhaps some of your numerous readers can state definitely the amount now paid as compared with amount'4o years ago to telegraph boysand correct mc if wrong.—l am, etc., OLD FOGEY.