FEELING IN TARANAKI

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 41, 18 February 1931, Page 10

FEELING IN TARANAKI

A LOCAL BODY ACTS

CIVIL SERVANTS UPSET

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") XEW PLYMOUTH, This Day. ' A reduction by. 10 per cent, of the ofliec salaries and councillors' expenses was decided upon by tho Whangamomoiia County Council. Workmen's wages will be reduced by Is (id per day. The council would not be doing its duty, said Councillor J. Law, if it did nut take steps to economise. Tho chairman, Mr. N. Cleland, said that it was an unpleasant duty. Tho ratepayers were making every effort to meet their rates, and if they could not pay iv full he would like to see them pay a part before March, as tho amount of overdraft allowed to the council depended on tho amount of rates collected. He had been against tho proposal to reduce wages two months ago, as lie had thought that matters might improve. Moreover, he did not think it fair that the council's staff, which had given faithful service, should suffer, while Civil servants and men who wore protected under an award did not suffer. The .Primo Minister had now indicated that there was to be a reduction, and had asked all to take a lead from it. A resolution commending Air. Forbes for his statement of proposed economics was passed by the Stratford Borough Council. Tho Mayor (Mr. P. Thomson) said that while as a council they could not take- part in a political discussion, ho felt that in view of tho times and wcightiness of the work forecasted, the Prime Minister would require the backing and support of every section of the community in the task he had undertaken. Whilo many councillors might disagree with tho Prime Minister politically, that should not influence them to withhold their support. He moved: "That this council welcomes the announcement of the Primo Minister that Parliament will be asked to pass measures necessary to place the country in ti sounder economic position and to balance the Budget, and congratulates him on the courage shown in his proposals, aud trusts that he will have the support of every section of the community in his unpleasant task." Mr. Thomson said ho felt that the Prime Minister was going to havo opposition from parts of the community, but tho work the Primo Minister had before him and the proposals which he now put forward were so important to the country's welfare that it was ■the duty of every body which expressed public opinion to support him at the present time. Mr. N. B. Fletcher said that at such n time, no matter what political views a citizen held, " the Prime Minister should have the support of the whole community. The Prime Minister had a stupendous task before him, but was tackling it with confidence and courage. A mass meeting of Civil servants at Hawera discussed the Government's proposals of wage reduction, and carried the following resolutions:— (a) "That this meeting of Hawera Civil servants emphatically protests against the proposed 10 per cent, reduction in their salaries and wages, thus reducing thousands of members below the standard paid for relief workers. With the first reduction of 17 per cent, in 1922 tho cost of living was 42 per cent above pre-war level, aud ;iow that tho cost of living is 02 per cent, above we consider a 10 per cent, reduction unwarranted, drastic, and unreasonable. We cannot accept the Prime Minister's assurance that the cost of living will be reduced in comparison." (b) "That this meeting emphatically disagrees with tho handing over by the Government of a social institution to private management, free from political control, and would like to know why such action should be taken with the Railways any more than the P. and T. and Police Departments." In addition to cuts in wages it is feared in some quarters that the Government is taking a further drastic measure, presumably for reason of economy. Annual leave for this year has been cancelled by at least one Department, except inspecial circumstances, when the permanent head of the Department may grant special leave.