POLICE PAY AND STABILISATION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 36, 12 February 1943, Page 2

POLICE PAY AND STABILISATION

THE increase in the remuneration of non-commissioned officers of the police force would excite little comment at this "time..were it not that the Government's decision to grant it appears to represent a recession from its stabilisation policy. It is common knowledge that war conditions have increased the duties of the police, and that their requests for increases in pay were made before the stabilisation scheme was introduced. On the other hand, it was fully, recognised by those responsible for the scheme that its effect could not be universally equitable, but this consideration was outweighed by the admitted necessity of stopping the upward movement of wages and prices without further' delay. Therefore all rates of -remuneration were fixed at the rates ruling at the date of the introduction of the regulations, and it was. provided that they should not be increased generally unless a general order were made, and this would.be made only if there was a specified increase in the wartime price index. There were two other exceptions. It is permissible for a Conciliation Commissioner to allow an increase in remuneration if he is satisfied that an employee is "employed by the same employer in any additional position, employment, duties or work, or in work involving additional' risk to life or health"; or if he is satisfied that an increase is necessary "for the removal of anomalies." Mr. Fraser, as Minister- in Charge of Police,. contends that the increase: now granted, >' in the. form of ;an overtime associated, jWithvthe to pay for overtime in the Public Service. He denies that the payment of the overtime allowance has any relation to the. recent request by* the police for an increase in pay. The fact remains that the police are to receive a larger total .remuneration for the same amount of work, and the principle is unaffected by the circumstance that the increase is called an overtime allowance. Mr. Fraser would have done better to take the ground that the increase was justifiable "for the removal of anomalies," for it would certainly be anomalous if the police, who work a great deal of overtime, were excluded from a concession made to the Public Service. The stabilisation door, which, judging by official statements at the time the scheme was introduced, was to be kept firmly closed, has been opened once, and that fact will be noted by other sections of the community who have, or think they have, grounds for special consideration.