PARTLY RESTORED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 162, 11 July 1934, Page 13

PARTLY RESTORED.

i COUNCIL CUT IN WAGES. MbUNT ALBERT ACTION. Half of the 10 per cent cut in the wages • and salaries of borough employees up to £250 was restored in the estimates adopted by the Mount Albert Council at last night's meeting. "The restoration of the cuts on salaries and wages up to the first £250 will be m line with that of other bodies who have adopted a progressive attitude towards this much-discussed question, stated the Mayor, Mr. R. Ferner, in moving the adoption of the estimates. Mr J. O. N. Hoolc moved as an amendment that the question of the restoration of the cut be referred back to the finance and legal committee, with a view to having the whole 10 per cent cut restored. "I think that the Mayor can assure us that we are in a financial position to restore the cut if we think fit," said Mr. Hoole, "and I have heard no reason why we should not do so. By taking such a step, we would restore the confidence of the wage-earners and of other employers." In seconding the amendment, Mr. F. E. Martin said that ho thought the time had come for the mistake made by the Government of the Dominion, with which a previous council had had to fall in line, should be remedied. The cost of the restoration would not be felt when spread over all the ratepayers." j "The amendment shows, I think, a | lack of a sense of values in its sponsors," j said the Mayor. "No local body in the | metropolitan area has done as much as this council to help the unemployed ! by discontinuing the No. 5 scheme and inaugurating a scheme of work on standard rates of pay which is daily being adopted by other bodies. I am anxious to see all our employees paid standard rates, but the restoration of the full 10 per cent would ; leave less money for this purpose, so that a few of our employees would benefit dispro-, portionatelv at the expense of others in greater need. While the majority of the ratepayers have not. had their own 10 per cent cuts restored, it would be a social injustice to restore it to a few, but I do not believe in allowing a position of stalemate to continue, and if other employers will only follow our lead to the extent of restoring 5 per cent of the cut to their employees, we will then be able to go further." The amendment was defeated, only Messrs. Hoole, Martin and J. Nixon voting for it.

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