CORRESPONDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 59, 7 September 1938, Page 10

CORRESPONDENCE

PAYING TO TWO FUNDS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —At last someone has voiced the point which is undoubtedly exercising the minds of the lower-paid Government servant. Are we to be allowed to draw out in a lump sum our compulsory contributions to our own superannuation fund; also will the Government remove the compulsory clause in that fund? If per week plus his savings is enough to keep a private individual and his wife, then obviously it would be enough for a public servant and his spouse. Speaking personally* I would prefer to draw my pay without superannuation deductions in the event* of the Security Bill being enacted. These odd shillings would do me more good now than a problematical pension when I am worn out with worry and doing without in the vain effort to catch up the few pounds debt that always seems to elude me. 1 I have made the usual provisions for my old age by insurance, and am purchasing a house and have paid into a lodge fund since the beginning of my working years, so I am not an improvident man, but there is a limit to what one can do. Qne Cabinet Minister pointed out that the Public Service Superannuation' Fund was subsidised by the public fi|nd, and surely we would not grudge a like privilege in return. We don't, but we object to paying twice, once as a taxpayer, and again as a public servant. f It's the forcing into two ; funds that is the snag, so if the Security Bill is the ideal, let us have it and release the Government official from his own fund, paying back to him his past contributions, This money in nine cases out of ten among the lower-paid men would be put back into circulation, and isn't this the Government's platform? I should be glad to pay my debts and start free again— debts incurred during the slump period when my salary was cut, and cut again, and even now is not back to what attracted me into the service. When times are good the outside man has his overtime, sometimes over award rates, his wife can take a job, and we see them with all sorts of advantages, but the Government man must be content to jog along, and although we might look longingly after the other fellow, still loyalty to our boss (the public) keeps us steadily op the job, and surely we can expect in return the same consideration as is given to loyal servants of an outside So what is the Government going to do?—I am, etc., ALSO ANXIOUS.