HIGHER SALARIES

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 142, 15 June 1920, Page 7

HIGHER SALARIES

IN PUBLIC SERVICE. AFFECT ALL DEPARTMENTS. ASSURANCE BY FREMIEB. IMPEASEDTAXATION IXEVITABLE llty Telcprnpli.—l'ress Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday. Dclogules from the confcrenco of'tlie To-i iiiirt Tcli'grapli Officers' Association liiid un interview with tho Prime Mil!- I ister to-day regarding their demand* for I iiurr:i?es of pay for members of the I service. Tlio Postiiiuster-Genprnl (tin , Hon. 1. (!. Coati-fO wiis. also present. Jlr. McKenzii- I president of the association) .-aid that in their previous interview they had gathered that the • rriuic Minister hail in mind payment of : s-imctliinjj in tlic nature of n bonus. I Tlieir request was that payment should be by why of a salary increase. Mr. Combs (secretary of the association) said their demand was that tho basic wage of £165, lived at the beginning of the war. should be increased in proportion to the proved increase, in the c ist of living, and, for the purjiosiof determining the proved increase in the cost of living, they would take the r.ITU-ial figure of 62 per cent. He susrgefled that thp cost of increases could lie met by taxation of the increase in unimproved laud values, or by a levy nil greatly increased returns, obtained from production during the war. or, thirdly, by revision of post and telegraph charges. At present there was great loss on many branches of the service. Mr. Massev. replying, said that after listening to Mr. Combs he had come to (he conclusion thnt there was very little hot ween the association and the Government. He had always considered that the increase that was to br# adjustable must be by way of a bonus. THE GO'VEKVMEXT PROrOSATJP. ''Here is what the -Government propose to do, -, said Mr. Massey. "AYe are not soing , to favour one department at the expense of any other department. We arc jjoing to treat them justly and reasonably. 'We have had this railway business on hand for some time. It has ta"kcn longer to settle than 'I had expected— not that I wish to find fault with those making inquiries. I hope and believe thnt what the different classes of the Uaihvay Department are doing will have a very good effect. I think that when ■they send in their reports, we shall find matters run more smoothly in the service than for some time past. I had thought that the locomotive men would lie finiehefl on Saturday. Their committee has not finished yet, and will not lie finished until to-morrow. I need not s-ay they will draw up their report without influence from mc. "When we get it ■—and I should like to have the matter •fettled before the House meete —we propoee to deal with their report in this way:—lt is not only the Railway people we have to provide for; we have to provide for the post and telegraph service, the Public service, police, and school ■teacher.-, and the Government proposes to ask certain officers of the Public Service, men of experience and ability: men Mich ne the Public Service Commissioner, tiie head of the Postal Department, head of the Kailway Department, and the head of tho Treasury, to assist members of the Government in drawing up what ] believe will bo a satisfactory eeale of payments. We have no intention of ■keeping the Postal Department out in any way, or of dealing with them unfairly as compared with other branches of the Public Service. Every department •will bo considered by itself. What we do with the Railway Department cannot he applied to the Postal 'Department, Realise the conditions and duties are not the eanie. Our aim is to have salaries of the Public Service settled, and settled for some time to come. INCREASE TO TAXPAYERS. "That this will mean an increased burden to the taxpayers there is no doubt. 1 hope to be al>le to get the money. *o far as the Railway Department is concerned lam going to get the money by putting up fares and freights, and so far as the Postal service is concerned I am going to put up rates. It is only fair that people using these services should pay. The Government was anxious to do justice to the men of the postal service. "There seems," ho said, 'to have been a certain amount of feeling worked up about this business which is quite unnecessary. As soon as we get these railway mutters fixed up we will settle down to adjust these grievances of yours." Mr. Massey said that lie thought the cost of living would fall shortly, and that the corner had been turned. "You Will not have to wait many days," said •Mr. 'Massey, in conclusion. "1 agree with the principle laid down by the deputation that salaries and wages should •be consistent with the cost of living, especially up to a reasonable amount, and I think you will find that fairly satisfactory adjustment will be made. J am not able to go into figures at the present moment, because, as I have said, we intend to go about it in a businesslike way, 'and to consult men who have had experience in the management of big Departments of State. If you are not satisfied with the result you can come to us, to the head of the Postal Department, and I thin 1 * you will find us reasonable. The Xiovernment is not antagonistic to persons in .State employ; we want satisfactory service, and we know that we cannot keep satisfactory service if members of the service a r s not Katistied. The Government asks for the assistance of members of the service in its diffieuties at the present time. "At the present time we are finding the period of reconstruction, or building up. difficult in many ways, and more difficult to finance; than" even during the war period. We are spending at the present moment more money tlian we had to spend during the war period itself. "Some' newspapers professinj to represent public opinion are girding at the Government because we do not kpep down Departmental expenditure. How can we keep down expenses when we liavo to raise salaries for all tranches • of the service? I advise you to trust I the Government for the future." I INCREASES FROM APRIL I Mr Combs asked whether the increases | would date from April 1. Mr. Massey: Yes, that is what I pro- | pose. ] Mr. Combs asked whether Mr. Massey accepted the 'basis presented by the association for an increase in the basic wage. j Mr. Masaey: I am not accepting your i figures. I accept now, as I have accepted | til through, that ac the cost of living i goes up there efiould be increases In palariee and wages (proportionate to the increase. Air. Combe eaid that in view of this assurance he -wan sure the service would j be prepared to wait patiently- for theresults of the adjustment. "• _ i