INCREASE IN TROOPS’ PAY

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30900, 5 November 1965, Page 1

INCREASE IN TROOPS’ PAY

Statement Ry Minister The Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) said in Christchurch yesterday that he had been unable to find any record of himself or any other Cabinet member having said that the recent review of the armed services pay would be retrospective to April 1. “If it had been a firm promise then the Government would naturally have been bound to honour it,” he said. Mr Eyre was commenting on a statement by the Dominion vice-president of the Returned Services’ Association (Mr J. C. White) suggesting that the pay increase should apply from April 1, instead of September 1. Mr Eyre said he readily admitted there had been no contradiction to the April 1 date, which had been assumed by the armed services. The date was a decision for the Cabinet, he said. From what he understood, there had been a most favourable reaction to the new review of pay and service conditions, said the Minister. The review had taken a lot of preparation and the services pay committee had worked hard on it. The subject of income tax concessions and location allowances for servicemen in operational theatres was at present under urgent consideration, said Mr Eyre. “We are considering the best possible method. We have different Ideas about the matter than the Australians,” said Mr Eyre.