APPEALS AND ANOMALIES

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 7, 8 July 1922, Page 8

APPEALS AND ANOMALIES

Dr. Newman , (Wellington East) said that there were anomalies in the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act, which would lead to hardship in making the second bonus cut. Would the Prime Minister permit' the Public servants to appear before the Public Accounts Committee of the House to! point out these anomalies with a view to their being remedied? The Prime Minister said that the first duty of the Public Accounts Committee would be to revise the Estimates, but he would be pleased for the Committee afterwards to go into the matter mentioned if possible. INFORMATION WANTED. Members were eager yesterday to find out whether the Government proposes to make the bonus cut apply to married men in the lower grades of the Civil Service. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the all-group figure does not justify the cut, he intends to restore the minimum of £234 per annum for married;/, men. . This, Mr. Massey considered a somewhat important question requiring an official reply, and he therefore' asked that it stand over until Tuesday. Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South) nad a question orj similar lines. There were; he said, some men receiving £230 per year who really could not afford a cut. They had received only £32 10s instead of £95 bonus. Would the second cut apply to them? Mr. Massey said that question had better be put on the Order Paper also. It might be necessary to obtain the names of the officers, so that their circumstance might be properly understood. There would be no hardship if it could be avoided. Mr. Mitchell: "They will not be prejudiced in any way?" Mr. Massey: "No."