PUBLIC SERVANTS’ MEET

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 233, 28 June 1922, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVANTS’ MEET

TO DISCUSS SALARIES OPPOSITION TO SECOND • CUT ATTITUDE OF M.P.’S A combined meeting of Public servants, held In tho Town Hall last evening, carried a resolution urging tho executives of the various Publio service organisations to continue to press the case against any further out in salaries and wages, urging that a further out would bring thousands bolow the "bread-ind-butter line.” The meeting considered further that the cost of living figures did not warrant the making of the out.

A Public servants' meeting convened by a joint committee of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway . Servants, the Railways Officers’ Institute, the Publio Service Association, and the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association, was held in tho Town Hall last night as a protest against the second salary cut provided for in the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act. Mr. E. F. Falkiner presided over an attendance of between 400 and 500. The chairman read to the meeting replies given by members of Parliament who had been questioned regarding their attitude towards the second cut. . The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Wilford, had written describing the attitude taken up by his party during the debate on the Public Expenditure Adjustment Bill last session. Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P. (Suburbs) stated that ho had interviewed the Prime Minister in reference to the suggested second cut, and had asked that the cut might be avoided. Last session he had opposed the reduction of Public servants’ salaries below what he believed to lie a living income. He still held the same view. Mr. G. Mite’iell, M.P. (Wellinirton South) stated that during last session he had opposed reduction in the lower salaries. He had seen no reason since to alter his mind, and he would onpose anv further reduction in the remuneration of those who he considered were receiving only a living wage. Mr. P. Fraser. M.P. (Wellington Central) wrote that he was in complete agreement with the Public servants contentions concerning the swoM cut Tho labour Partv had opnosed the first cut and would oppose a second to the Luke (Wellington North) wrote: “On the statement contained in vottr letter to me, and assuming that the rise of salaries and wages i in the Public Set-vice approximated that of tho rise in outside concerns, then I will urge the Minister of Finance to refrain from making the second cut Dr A K. Newman, M.P. (Wellington East) stated that he was against anv further cut in the payment rank and file, and that he had made several suggestions to the Prime Minister regarding other means by which •the necessary money could be obtained. CUT WOULD CAUSE ACTUAL WANT. No reply, Mr. Falkiner continued, had been received from Mr. W. H. Field, M.P. (Otaki). His association therefore assumed that Mr. Field was not in sympathy with the Public servants. He felt sure that the majority of the people of New Zealand were not in favour of a second cut, as they must know that it would cause actual want in thousands of homes. Unfortunately the Government appeared to favour other interests than those ot the Public servants. But he believed that- with the legitimate influence they could bring to bear they would be able to induce the Minister of 1‘ malice to refrain fror> making the second cut. THE RAILWAYMEN. Mr. W. Sullivan, president of. the A S.R.S., said that at tho time of the outbreak of war an increase in wages was certainly due to -■railwaymen, but in order not to embarrass the Government they had decided to waive any claim to an increase unless the cost of living rose. It did rise, and it was only at tho end of IJI6 that they received the first shilling bonus. The bonuses granted had never fully compensated for the increase m the cost of living. They had fallen behind. The wages of workers outside the Public Service had been stabilised till a certain date. What reason was there for making any reduction in Public Service wages and salaries before that date, if a reduction had to be made at all? Tha financial jxisition had ’ now improved and the Prime Minister had admitted in January last that they were not over-paid. The cut, therefore, should be dispensed with. The Public servants took exception to having to pay a special tax into the Consolidated Fund through a cut in wages, and to having at the same time to contribute to the revenue like all others through the ordinary channels of taxation. If the Minister of Finance was compelled to raise more money he should do so by taxing all members of the community in accordance with their ability to bear taxation. It appeared tli/rt a deliberate attempt was being made to force down wages generally., _ That was going to be a disastrous thing if the worker was to be left with insufficient money to buy the necessaries of life; and the tendency was even now towards such a state of affairs. NEARING BREAKING POINT. There was a breaking point, and it was being neared, said Mr. Sullivan. He was not there to make threats. He had no mandate to do so. But there was a limit to the patience of people subjected to such treatment as the Public servants were receiving. If the Government persisted in its intention to maks a fresh cut, hundreds of men would be unable to supply their wives and families with genuine necessaries of life. ’ Mr. H. E. Combs, secretary of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association, supported what Mr. Sullivan had said. He stated that the Public servants in the past hod not used all the means they could have used to impress on members of Parliament tbs rights of their case. He was glad to see a meeting in which they were banded together against an attempt to depress wages and against a system of treating the Public cervant as a commodity. ~ Mr. F. W. Millar, secretary of tho Public Service Association, contended that the cost of living figures did not justify a second cut, even if the terms of tho Publio Expenditure Adjustment Act were followed out; and if the Government did not fall back on thfl cost of living figures, what justification could it have for touching Publio servants’ salaries? None, unless the country were on the vergo of bankruptcy, and the statements of the Prime Minister himself showed that it was not. At tho present moment the Primo Minister had admittedly a difficult task; but that did not thrust on the Public servants the responsibility ot remedying matters, and it did not affect tho justice of their claims in the

least. Within the last three weeks tho Prime Minister had told a meeting he could see the sun behind the clouds. If that sun was to attain its full radiance at tho expense of the Public servants, then rightly the Primo Minister should have the hand of every Public servant against him. No statesman, of course, should shrink, through any such consideration, from doing his duty. But to attack Public servants’ salaries to restore the country’s finances was neither to perforin a duty nor to do an act of statesmanship. Mr. J. Robertson, president of tho Bailway Officers’ Institute, argued that if the cost of living figures were fairly interpreted the Government would not only have to refrain from making a second cut but would even have, in justice, to refund to railwaymen the amount already taken away. RESOLUTION CARRIED. The meeting carried with acclamation a resolution wliich urged tho executives of tho various Public Service organisations to continue to press the case against any further reduction in salaries anil wages, in view of the fact that such a reduction would bring thousands below the “bread-and-butter lino,” and that it would bo equivalent to special taxation. The duties and responsibilities of Public servants, the resolution stated, had been increased, and the cost of living figures did not warrant tho making of the cut. The meeting concluded with the singing of “God Save the King.” MEETING AT MASTERTON MR. G. R. SYKES, M.P., STATES HIS ATTITUDE WHAT THE SERVICE STANDS FOR BY TELEGRAM—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. Masterton, June 27. Between 70 mid bO Civil servants representative of all Departments field a meeting to-night to protest against the proposed second “cut.” The Mayor (Mr. O. N. C. Pragnell) presided, and addresses were given by Mr. H. H. Brown, Wellington (assistant secretary of the P. and T. OffiAssociation), and Mr. 1. J->-Coombs, Foathprston. (representing ® Teachers’ Institute). Mr. G. R. Sykes, M.P., who was present by invitation, told the meeting tliat. he would, vote for the second "cut” if he thought it was necessary for the country’s finances, but if there was a possible solution to the difficulty, ho would oppose the measure. Air. Brown traced the history of the “cut,” and contended that indiscriminate rebates on land and income tax were not justified. The P. and 1. Association had the greatest sympathy for’the farmer especially the farmer and returned soldier settles who had been placed on hign-pricea land, but it was the Government s fault for putting them on land at an inflated value. “The service will stand behind the returned soldier every time,” continued the speaker. , it doos not stand for the nivinz back a portion of the income to such wealthy institutions as the Bank oT'New Zealand.” The service was quite ready to accept the same 1 auctions as other sections of inanity, but it did not see why it should 3 be penalised more than tlie , had used when it first camo s =s the trou k ® of the business men th The°following M d wmS°Civii ° f ‘mrSalS P OS ?nXa d A “Mtat the the following ll r ° u^ s: nf (a A e Arbitral recent pronouncement of th SeSe increased the cost oflivFnzTs now 67 per cent, above the July, 1914 level; (b) that tho bonus gianted to Civil servants was assessed when t \ d o cost .< MS cent, above the IJI-1 l i. nf i already the Public J’ T one cut in salary from January a, which is in excess of that made in the waerps of workers in outside G . T pP ,O < went and whose reduction did not take effect until May last; (d) tha whilst members of the public are p pared to shoulder their share of the burden, they consider that to the present, cost of living figures « in effect an imposition of a special on one seetim of the community.”