PAY OF STATE FARM WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 205, 24 May 1919, Page 8

PAY OF STATE FARM WORKERS

Sir,—Does tho Government intend to continue the payment of the war bonus to general labourers on Stato farms during the current financial year, and if so at what ratot No one appears to kngiv definitely, although it seems only fair and right that a man should know tho pay lie is working for. Why cannot tho Department pay their workmen whatever is due to them at the end of each month? The irregular and uncertain way in whioh the war bonus has been paid has caused inconvenience and disappointment. It was generally understood that a double bonus, i.e., .£3O, would be paid for the whole of tho last financial year, instead of which it was paid only for tho last six months. If the bonus is to cease from March 31 last, surely the men should be told so, and then they would know what they and their families had to live upon. Ae the case is now, the daily wage of 9s. a day is quite inadequate to keep a family without stint, and tho tendency is to run up debts on the off-chance of receiving a bonus next October or Tit appears from inquiries made at the Head Office of the Agricultural Department, which controls tho experimental farms, that the foots are sitbstantially as represented in the foregoing letter. Since March 31 last, the end ot the financial year, no bonuses have been paid to the labourers on the farms, and the position is that 110 bonuses can be paid until Parliament has appropriated the money for the payment. The custom of the Department is to pay tho bonuses to labourers jnoDthly, but it has been usual that the bonuses have ceased for a time at the beginning of each year, being made up in a lump sum so soon as Parliament lias authorised the payments, and thereafter continued month y. When Parliament has had timo to deal with the matter. It is certain that a bonus will bo paid at the rato of per year for six months This much has toon promised by the Government. When Parliament meets it is certain to vote tliij money. The chances seem to th , at ' t will also vote something more, but the money will first have to be voted by Parliament.!