NO INCREASE IN SALARIES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21202, 28 June 1934, Page 10

NO INCREASE IN SALARIES

HOSPITAL BOARD'S DECISION MOTION LOST ,ON CASTING VOTE On the casting vote of the chairman (Mr H. J. Otley) the North Canterbury Hospital Board decided yesterday not to raise the salaries and wages of all those in the board's service receiving £IOO and less a year by 5 per cent. It was the third' attempt to have an increase made. The motion stood in the name of Mr W. P- Spencer, , Mr Spencer said that the board was paying very low wages to some of its staff. Five members received 5s a week, and 47 £22 a year. It would cost £Bl3 to give the rise and when spread over a rating value of £72,000,000 would be infinitesimal. The chairman said that those receiving 5s were inmates and they only did 5s worth of work for the board. Mr Spencer continued that the government would not make the slightest objection to the board giving a rise in wages. The Ashburton Hospital Board had restored a cut. "Guilty of Bobbery" "While there is one very highly-paid member of our staff for whom I have the greatest admiration, I consider it disgraceful, that although the board granted him an extra £SO, the trainees were receiving only a rise of £3 14s for the first year," said Mr J. K. Archer. "I feel positively hurt in belonging to a board which does this sort of thing," he said. "We are dealing with morals. We are just as guilty of robbery as anyone else, and unfortunately cannot be sent to gaol for it." Mr Archer continued that the amount involved in the motion was £Bl4 being 5 per cent, on salaries of £IOO and less. About £409 10s would 'come from the board and £404 10s from the Government. Giving lllusItrations of the extra amount which ! would have to be paid by some of the contributing bodies on a basis of a rise of 5 per cent, Mr Archer mentioned the following figures:—Christchurch City Council £167, Waimairi County Council £24, Waipara £2l, Ellesmere £ls, Paparua £l4. Malvern £l3 ss, Akaroa borough 16s, Kaiapoi borough £1 18s. Mr W. J. Walter said that Mr Spencer should have retained the 10 per cent in his motion instead of 5 per cent. The nursen were doing a wonderful work. /■ : Mr J. S. Barnett said that he favoured an increase spread over a wider section of th r staff.

Comparison with England Sir Hugh Acland said that he would like to remind the board that nurses in training now had just begun a new system. Those on the lowest grade of salary did no work in the wards during the first three months. Compared with salaries paid at celebrated schools like the Nightingale School in London, those paid in Christchurch were considerably higher. Mrs J.I.A. Bean said that the salaries were so low that something would have to be done. Mrs E, R. McCombs, MJJ\, said that small as the suggested increase was, it would be received with gratitude. A "rise of 10 per cent' would be much more suitable, but it seemed imposBible to carry it through the board. . The'chairman: Where is the money coming from? Mrs McCombs said that it could be found. Everyone who had spoken had said something in favour of an increase, added Mrs McCombs. Mr T. Thompson said that trade had te to pieces. He could not support niotion. Doctors' Interest

■Cot. JP. S. Foster denied that the doctors working with the nurses had no interest in their welfare. In spite of cuts the nurses had not complained and were 89 loyal to the board as ever. They were being housed, fed, and well cared for. They would deprecate the amount of publicity given on their behalf. Ho would like to see the cut restored to the whole staff, net only those receiving £IOO and less. In the meantime he could not support the motion. Mr W. T, .foster said that when it became known after the last board meeting that the motion had been lost, great disappointment was expressed. Mr H. H. Holland said that compared with hardships endured by women }n the country the nurses did not know that they were alive. He could not see his way to support an increase in salaries at present. Mr Spencer said that ratepayers of Waunairl who had been in the hospital had asked him if anything could be clone for the nurses. If the small rise was agreed to it wpuld fee a mark of appreciation of the services of the staff. The chairman said that the proposition bad now been thoroughly thrashed out A Division Taken On a division, 10 members voted for the motion and 10 against. "I intend to leave things ss they are," said the chairman, and on his casting vote the motion was lost. WAIMAIRI COUNCIL'S DECISION PROVISION FOR LOWER PAID EMPLOYEES The Waimairi County Council has decided that the 10. per cent, cut in Wages be restored to all its employees in receipt of less than £2OO a year, up to a maximum of £4 a week. Provision for this restoration was made in the estimates, which were presented and adopted at a meeting of the council last evening. The decision will affect about 20 employees. ; The estimates were considered at an extraordinary meeting of the council on Friday. The minutes of that meeting record that Cr. W. G. Chapman moved that the restoration be made. The motion was seconded pro forma by Cr. W. J. Walter. Cr. T. O. Newnham then moved as an amendment that an all round restoration of half of the 10 per cent. cut be made, Cr. C. E. Cross seconding the amendment, which was lost. Another amendment, that no portion of the cut be restored at present, was moved by Cr. G. G. Gardner, and seconded by Cr. W. Price. It was also lost, and the motion was put and carried by six votes, to four. Crs. Newnham, Cross, J. Liggins, and the chairman (Cr. W. P. Spencer) voted in the negative. The estimates were adopted last evening without any discussion on the clauses dealing with the restoration of wages. DISCUSSION BY FIRE BOARD LETTER TO MINISTER 0?M«8 ABSOCUTIO* TBLEOBAX.) AUCKLAND, June 27. I The Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board to-day discussed the restoration of the wages cut, and decided to ask the Minister for Finance (the Ht Hon, J. G. Coates) whether it would be permissible to take such action. The chairman (Mr J. J. Kingston) said the city council bad done some-

thing, and it was suggested that the fire board also could do something. The restoration of the cut would make for a return of confidence in the city To restore 5 per cent would cost £990. Mr A. G. Lunn said the board should watt for a lead from the Government. It would be absurd to restore the cut when 70,000 men were unemployed, as they deserved first sympathy. After discussion it, was resolved to write to the Minister.