Dept. House Rent Change Postponed

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30940, 22 December 1965, Page 3

Dept. House Rent Change Postponed

GVeir Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 21. Application of initial adjustments to departmental house rents —originally proposed for January 1 —has been postponed to February 1.

The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) explained in a statement tonight the postponement was made to enable further discussion to take place.

This decision was made today after a meeting of ministers because negotiations were still incomplete. It was hoped the situation could be clarified early in the new year, said Mr Holyoake.

He said that adjustments as at present proposed would comprise increases of no more than 10s a week in the first 12 months.

Any adjustments would be made at the time of general wage increases and ensure that no actual reduction was made in takehome pay. The chairman and secretary of the Combined State Service Organisations (Messrs H. J. Allen and D. P. Long) this evening said they were astounded at the Prime Minister’s statement. “Negotiations on this issue were resumed between the employee organisations and the State employing authorities in October, after the withdrawal of an earlier ultimatum to impose the rent increases from January 1.

“We were assured that all aspects, including the date of

any increases, were matters for negotiation.” said the statement. “It is now three weeks since the employee organisations placed before the employing authorities a constructive proposal for continuing the negotiations. The employing authorities undertook to discuss this with the Cabinet committee and to ensure that there was an opportunity for employee representatives to meet the Cabinet committee if our proposal seemed unacceptable. “Up to now, we have heard nothing whatever from the employing authorities or the Government concerning our proposal. “Now, like a bolt from the blue, the Prime Minister appears to be reimposing the original ultimatum, only postponing it by a month. “We can only regard the Government’s statement as a complete breach of faith, and an undermining of the principle of conciliation to which the Government claims it I adheres.” said the statement.