REWARDING ENERGY AND ABILITY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 8

REWARDING ENERGY AND ABILITY

(To the Editor.) ' T Si, r '~ln thw year's prospectus of the 1 ethnical College evening classes a word of encouragement is given to Government servants, who are reminded of certain advantages to be gained by passing in the professional accountancy, subjects. Knowing the indifference to study prevailing with the majority, and the discoutenfc of those who study hard, ah examination oi tb^ problen is interfiling. En.raiice to the PubJe Servicu is by the Public Service Entrance or Matricu/ar tion Examinations. The boyg, matriculating, usually enter the service at 17 or 18 years of age. The Government require Jads who will study for the Law, Commerce, Science, and Engineering degrees. Jhe cost of accountancy studies is not high, but for the various degrees the cost may be from £20 to £30 per Annum. Some of the lads are keen to study, and at the cost of much- self-denial and hard work strive for the various degrees. Should university lectures be taken in office hours, the time, according to rule 58, must be made up. At the end of four years' hard study the student may find himself the proud possessor of a university degree or the qualifications of a" professional accountant. He is now, according to rule 205, entitled to a .double increment in his salary (the advantage evidently alluded to in the prospectus). Should this annual increment fall due in the month of April, he will receive his special reward about four- months after ho has passed his examination, but if his annual increment falla due in March he will require to wait one' year and three months after Ms examination, ere he receives his prize. He commences his fifth year with a degree, and a salary of £190—less than the window cleaner. Two years later he has reached a salary of £230—the minimum wage of the skilled labourer of the General Division, whose required educational status is the Fourth ' Standard (see Rule ]55c). The next year lie receives £5 more than the maximum of the skilled labourer or messenger. In two more years? time our studious young man has reached a salary of £295, but remains at this salary for several years. The man who started the same year as he did, but who never spent Is or laboured for one hour in his own time to render his services more valuable catches up to him in the following year, and the boasted reward of Rule 205 has vanished into thin' air. Young men visualising the future with its expense and hard study can see no adequate reward, while those who do study leave the Government Service for more remunerative employment elsewhere. No young man with such .qualifications should receive leis than a tradesman's wage v a minimum, and his progress should not be held up at £295. Since young' qualified men are debarred from adding to their incomes by outside work in their spare time, they deserve more liberal treatment. Give energy and ability its due reward.— I am, etc., FAIR PLAY.