WAGE PLEDGES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 189, 12 August 1935, Page 7

WAGE PLEDGES.

TRANSPORT BOARD.

MOTION BY MR. SAYEGH. ELECTION POLICY RECALLED. There was a spirited discussion at a meeting of the Auckland Transport Board this morning when Mr. J. Sayegh moved that the balance of wages cute for employees receiving £300 and under should be restored. Mr. Sayegh said that it was now generally admitted the "cuts" were a mistake and right through New Zealand local bodies were moving to remedy the mistake. Practice had proved the "'cuts" lowered the purchasing power of the public. The board would be very wise to make the restitution he proposed. During the past three or four months marked improvement had been shown and the restoration could be made without undue alarm. Superannuation More Important? Mr. F. E. Lark expressed surprise at the motion, in view of the fact that there was a committee investigating the functions of the board in order to recommend where economies could be effected, it might be a popular motion, but if there -were benefits to be conferred they should be for the greatest number. A superannuation scheme was under discussion which would be a benefit not only to men, but also to their wives and dependents. They had approved of a policy of restoration of cuts, but they had not pledged themselves as. to the manner of restoration. The board's duty was to remove the anomalies throughout the service. He believed that the men would support a superannuation scheme first and the restoration of the cut second. It would be unwise to rush the matter through, or tie the hands of the committee. Mr. W. T. Anderton said that it was a simple thing to move such a motion with the usual platitudes and without understanding the economic position of the board. Mr. J. A. C. Allum: Don't blame him. Mr. Anderton said that by the motion men receiving just over £300 a year would be penalised, although they also had suffered the reduction. He urged that the matter should be left until the report of the committee was available. Mr. Sayegh: Four years hence, perhaps. "Board Pledged Itself." Mr. Allum said that Mr. Sayegh had done the right thing, as the majority of the board were pledged to restore the cuts. They went to the public and said that they would restore the cuts and readjust the fares. The position was that the board had pledged itself to the public and the public looked for the pledges to be fulfilled. He would like to know the cost of the proposal and why it should be limited to £300. In the past the board had always dealt fairly and squarely. He would be no party to restoration of cuts to one section if they did not deal justly with the others. Mr. E. J. Phelan: How are you going to finance it? Mr. Allum: You have to show me how to do that. Mr. Phelan: 3?ou dodged it. Mr. Allum said that it was wrong to make a promise and then not keep it. Mr. Sayegh had at least kept his word and been consistent. Mr. J. S. Montgomerie said that he rather liked to see Mr. Allum shedding crocodile tears, seeing that the old board had brought down a superannuation scheme in the last few weeks of office. Mr. Allum: That is not correct. Mr. Montgomerie said that they had to go into ways and means, and they could not rush into it like a lot of children. Mr. Phelan said that they had set up a committee and were awaiting the report, and before it came down one member moved a resolution. Mr. Allum: He kept his word. Mr. Phelan said that it should not have been brought down without consulting the other members of the board, and it might suggest an ulterior motive. Mr. Sayegh rose to protest. "•Unholy Alliance." Mr. Phelan said that there seemed to be an unholy alliance between "St. Joseph and St. John, the new evangels." It was time that the report was produced, and he suggested that Mr. Sayegh should increase the amount to £350. A member: Make it £354. The chairman, Mr. H. G. R. Mason, M.P., pointed out that under the motion a man receiving £299 a year would be lifted above the man getting £301 —a £15 rise. If the board was going to restore cuts it should be without limit. Mr. \V. J. Jordan, M.P., deprecated reference to ulterior motives. He believed that the revenue would increase when the cuts to the people were restored.

Mr. W. H. Nagle said that the board had been one of the greatest victims by the cuts in wages. The time was coming when it should be made a national matter. He urged that the motion be deferred until the investigating committee's report was presented. Forgotten? [ Mr. Sayegh eaid that he was not ; going to be side-tracked. His colleagues , had told the people of Auckland that [ they were going to scale down the i higher wages, and scale up the lower ■ ones. That was definite enough. Now ; his friends on the left seemed to have ! forgotten. Voices: No. ; Mr. Sayegh: Our friends (he indicated Messrs. Lark and Anderton) said that they were out to restore the cuts, and the definite policy was to see into the cost of administration. They all gave pledges, even the chairman. Mr. Lark: Will you move that we strike a rate? Mr. Sayegh said that it was no use trying to draw a red herring across the scent now. It might be 12 months or two years before the report came down. The City Council men had received their "cuts" back, but the Transport Board employees had not. Mr. Lark: And the theatres as well. Mr. Saye 0 h (to Mr. Lark): What do you mean? 'the Chairman: Please address the chair. Mr. Sayegh: There might be an inference about that, and if so I want it j cleared up. Mr. Anderton said that it was a pantomime. Mr. Sayegh: You can't get away from your election pledges, and those promises should be carried out. The chairman saiu that in future he would not allow members' actions on other local bodies to be referred to. Voices: Quite right. The board decided to defer the matter until the report was received from the investigating committee.