"CUTTING" SALARIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 151, 29 June 1927, Page 8

"CUTTING" SALARIES.

WANGANUI COUNCIL AGAIN.

RUMOUR OF RELIGIOUS TEST.

DENIED BY COUNCILLORS. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star."') WANGANUI, this day. Tho City Ccuncil to-night decided on a further "cut ,, in salaries. The tramway engineer's salary is to l>c reduced from £(',OO to £540, and that of the chief clerk of tramways from £!00 to £' ! <".:>. The council also decided to dispense with the services of t- n men engaged in the ear shed, repair tracks, and overhead work. Protests from the foreman. as.-i»lanl clerk and draughtsman, salaries were cut at the recent meeting, were referred to the finance and work* coin mi t tec. Councillor A. H. Rogers asked at ;he City Council meeting whether it was a fact that men employed on the city stafl had l>oen asked to state their religion* convictions. The Mayor ieplied that he had no knowledge of that having been done. He would be very eorry to leani that such a Ftep had been taken. Councillor SiddelU. on Whalf of tho works committee, denied that any such request had been made. This was confirmed by Councillor Horsley. who said the matter had never been discussed. Councillor Siddclls ?aid he understood a list of workmen had been taken, irrespective of religion, to put bcfor" tlio commit tec. The Mayor trust c<l that the council would never go the length of asking a man his religion l>efore piviug him employment. The engineer said that xhf fon-n.ar. had mentioned a rumour to him aboui information regarding the religion of the employees l>eing required, and he iiad siurgested that definite information might be obtained.