SALARY CUTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 145, 21 June 1934, Page 6

SALARY CUTS.

If "Fair Play" will read my letter carefully he will find that he has made the -rather tommon mistake of criticising what my letter did not contain. There is mo evidence in my letter that I have a grudge to myself, as he says. It is not utter nonsense for me to state that £4 1/11 is almost as good as £<> was a on the case and was mentioned, of course, to few years ago, because it has a direct bearing show that while others have suffered greater cuts, the Public Service has not suffered as badly, as their, real wages are nearly as good as previously, even with the 5 per cent wages tax. I did not take up the position that th& Public Service is overpaid. My letter was written about the relative merits of the claims jf the Public Service on the one hand and the large number of more unfortunate workers (who have greater cuts) on the other hand, and my contention is that when the revenue of the country will admit of relief being given to anyone, let it be given to those who are suffering the greatest hardships first. I am surprised to think that anyone can think that it is "fair play" to the pay of even v*ery moderately or badly paid State servants while the destitute are being taxed without mercy, and thousands of splendid workers are putting up a desperate struggle to keep off relief work. He asks why should the public servant be singled out as fair game for all and sundry. The answer is, he is not. It is also asked where would things be if we had no public servants. This is all apart from the point at issue. Where would things be without bricklayers and carpenters and bakeTS? RANK OUTSIDER. '