WAITING FOR LEAD

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 64, 9 December 1930, Page 12

WAITING FOR LEAD

Government’s Move SALARY REDUCTIONS H.B. County’s Attitude PROBLEM OF STAFFS Dominion Special Service. Hastings, December 8. “The Government must curb national expenditure and make a start by reducing the salaries of Civil Servants, particularly tiie highly-paid ones,” said Mr. F B. Logan, chairman of the Hawke’s Bay County Council, at a council meeting to-day. Referring to the council’s staff, Mr. Logan said: “I am not prepared to see a reduction in other officials’ salaries without a reduction of the wages of our outside staff as well. If we are going to reduce construction costs some ot the men must go or all take lower wages. I should like to see all the men on the outside staff retained at lower wages so as not to aggravate the unemployment position.” , . , Mr Logan’s remarks were prompted by a letter from the Thames Valley Power Board asking support for a resolution . “That if salaries and wages are to be reduced it should be general and the Government should take the initiative. “It is up to the Government to give us a lead,” Mr. Logan said. “They should give us an indication as to how to reduce expenditure. We are experiencing a slump for all our products In other slumps while wool has dropped meat and butter have generally stayed up, but now they are all down and production costs are exceedingly high. The position is worse in Hawke s Bay because the farmers lost the autumn growth There was a colossal loss of sheep, the lambing percentage was very low, and now we are faced with a drought. The position is worse in Hawke’s Bay than in most places, and we must make every effort to give farmers relief next year. I ask for the support of all members in calling a halt on all construction work unless it is very urgent or unless the Government subsidy available is so large that it would be unwise to postpone the work. The council resolved to give the requested support to the motion referred to.

FARMERS’ RESOLUTIONS

Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, December 8. At a meeting of the Manawatu executive of the Farmers’ Union on Saturday several resolutions recommending a reduction of expenses which were a charge on the country’s primary producers were passed. ~ T The chairman, Mr. O. P. brought forward a suggestion that the levies made by the Meat and the Dairy Boards should be suspended and that the boards should be amalgamated in the meantime so as to effect economy. . A resolution suggesting that the levies should be reduced as far as possible and that where possible the two boards should co-operate to effect savings in freights, insurances and in other directions, was Pd The following remits were passed and are to be submitted to the Dominion and provincial conferences: — _ “That the princely retiring allowance of civil servants following princely salaries should be curtailed.” . “That during the present period ol economic stress all salaries of Ministers members of Parliament, from £3OO to £5OO, should be reduced by 10 per cent, and from £5OO upward by 20 per cent “That all relief wages be fixed at. 12/per day for married men and 9/- tor single men.” _ . “That the Government be asked immediately to cease from building railways which cannot show prospective profi t if “That compulsory arbitration should be abolished.”

8 PER CENT. REDUCTION

Waitotara County’s Decision

Dominion Special Service

Wanganui, December 8. “That all salaries and wages be reduced bv 8 per cent,” was a decision reached at to-day’s meeting of Waitotara County Council.” The chairman (Dr. W. Morrison) said that he had met representatives of most of the county councils in the North Island during the last two weeks, and all the councils were feeling the pinch. Salary reductions were being considered, but their wages had been higher than the Waitotara County Council’s, and when reductions had been effected their wages would be practically the same as the Waitotara County’s here at present The probability that, if wages were cut the council might be cited before the Arbitration Court was advanced, and the opinion was expressed that the Government should give a lead by reducing salarl“Awards will be reduced bv 25/- before long?’ said Councillor Farley. The engineer (Mr. Dix) said that the proposed cut would mean a saving of £22!) per annum. From now on the council could do with less men. Was it worth While saving £229 with the risk of being cited before the Arbitration Court? Councillor Farley said that the Wanganui County Council bad cut out all but urgent works, thus effecting a saving of £5OOO on the year's estimates. A proposal that the matter be deferred until a conference of other counties had been held was lost.