STILL WATCHED WITH INTEREST.

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 10, 12 July 1922, Page 5

STILL WATCHED WITH INTEREST.

Members of the House of Representatives continue to take a keen interest in the second cut of Pttblic Service salaries, but the number of questions relating to it is gradually growing smaller. Yester__y Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) asked the Prime Minister if, in'the event of the cut being made, he Would restore - the minimum salary, erf £234 15s for married Civil servants. That was the amount before the first cnt was made. The Prime Minister said that consideration had been given to this question. The minimum had been raised from £140' in 1913 to £234 15s in 1921. This year it was £219 15s, and when the second cut was made it would be £209 15s. The question of hardship was one which the officer concerned should represent to the head of his Department for consideration by the committee which had been set up to consider such questions. The minimum awwrd rate fixed by the Court for unskilled labour was £3 18s lOd per week, and the regulations made provided that the remuneration of employees should not be reduced below the award rate. Mr. Sullivan: "That means you will do nothing." On the same subject Mr. H. Poland (Ohinemuri) stated that there was a j strong impression that, the locomotive branch of the railway service was not to be subject to the cut. The Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie) said that there would be no difference. When the cut came to the two railway associations it would be absolutely equal.