UNDER-RATE PERMITS

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 107, 6 May 1916, Page 4

UNDER-RATE PERMITS

A complaint made by a deputation to the Prime Minister yesterday was that several unscrupulous employers had taken an opportunity to exploit returned soldiers by means of an Order-in-Council gazetted some months ago. This regula; tion provides that discharged soldiers, unable by reason of their physique or other cause to earn the full rate of pay in certain industries, may be permitted to work at an under-rate, according to circumstances. The contention of unionists is that this provision (which, as Mr. Massey fairly claimed, was intended to benefit the returned soldiers) has been abused in certain cases. The Hon. J. T. Paul remarked yesterday: "An employer endeavoured to employ a returned soldier at £80 a year, while getting rid of a former employee receiving £180 a year. The point was this : The returned soldier was in receipt of a pension, and the employer sought to cut down his wages so that, with the pension, what he received would amount to a living wage. It was an outrage oil the whole community." Mr. Massey's reply showed unmistakably that he would not condone that kind of conduct.' ,He also assured the deputation that lie had an open mind for any reasonable recommendation' which would help in the equitable employment of those discharged soldiers who need some comparatively light occupation to supplement their pensions. One of the speakers yesterday had an opinion apparently that every discharged soldier should have a pension sufficient to maintain him in idleness, regardless of his earning power. Of course, such, a notion is ridiculous. The spirit of the Anzacs would not .settle down to such soft and easy spinelessness. New Zealand, for the sake of the returned soldiers and the welfare of the State as a whole, has to find suitable employment for these men—and the At-torney-General (Mr. Herdman) is acting energetically and systematically for the Government in this matter. His office is linked up closely with a large number of the discharged soldiers, and we believe firmly that this Minister will set his face and hand sternly against any mean scheme for any unjust under-payment of any one of New Zealand's defenders. Wo have no doubt that, on evidence of unpatriotic attempts to abuse that Order-in-Council, Mr. Massey and Mr. Herdman will be quick to punish the wrongdoers.