SUPERANNUATED PUBLIC SERVANTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17981, 26 January 1924, Page 5

SUPERANNUATED PUBLIC SERVANTS.

ANNUAL MEETING OF ASSOCIATION.

Ihe annual mooting of the Association of Superannuated Public Servants was held, yesterday, Mr John Gray presiding over a large attendance.

.The president, -'in moving the adoption of the annual report, stilted that the Association had done good work and hud justiiied ita_ existence. , Attention was diawn to the laet that superannuation allowances and pensions weru now exempt from the payment of stamp duty. There w<jro £sl numbers, but tiiia was a- small number of tne actual "hOUil of superannuated survunta in Caiueruury and Vv c&uand. 'iiioae present auouid spare no cilort to enlarge liio mcwbersnip. -Ltie sum oi tlie AisocuiUioii wad to assist tnoa-3 who v.anted assistance. It was to be regretted that there* were- ttU muaiDti's unhnanciui. The president paid tribute to the officials, especially the secretary (.Air B. G. Wilson), who did good work and gave t.p much ot his own time. The president stated that he had attended the federated Association's Conference in Wellington, and there had gcod cause to realise the way the superannuated servants were served. He outlined a number of matters that had been brought before the Prime Minister in regard to increased pensions, but no reply had been received other than, that the Prime Minister was giving further consideration to the matter. The question of superannuation being calculated os income when applications were made for old age pensions was also mentioned, and it was considered unfair. The bal-ance-sheet showed a credit balance of £l3 103 4d.

A speaker said that the superannuation was only that i>urt of wages that bad been stopped when the servants were in active woric. There wero hundreds of superannuated servants who hud a superannuation of only £73 a year. It was an urgent necessity that the Commission of Knquiry should investigate thoroughly the matter of bonuses. A lady eveakeT said ihat even though the amount was increased from £1 to &0s per week, the quality- of &oods was most inferior, and £2 went only 23 f-vr as £1 did formerly. Another lady speaker said that she was receiving only £l3 a year. She was the widow of a railway servant. The report and balance-sheet wero adopted. The secretary (Mr E. G. "Wilson) was voted an honorarium of £lO. It was decided to alteT the close of the financial year from December 31st to June 30th. . . . It was moved thai the minim am amount of superannuation be not less than £IOO per year, irrespective of the value oi the home, the old age pension to be included *n the £IOO if necessary; this to bo a recommendation to tho Commission of inquiry. The motion was earned. The following officers were elected: Chairman, Mr J. Gray: Yicc-cWmen, Messrs Mcllioy aad Eoddinott: vjco-preai-dent of Federation, Mr E. G. \£ikon; secretary and treasurer, -It E. G. ' • auditor, Mr J. Gray; committee, Ikssre Fowke (rail-ways), Crawford (police), I. Burns (education). Hill (nsncoltnro and stock), Galo (justice), Barco (Government inspectors), and Norman (Public Works). It ra agreed that the executive elect representatives for those departments not at present represented.