PUBLIC SERVICE SALARIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 August 1939, Page 4

PUBLIC SERVICE SALARIES

PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, August 21. A statement that so Ear as he was concerned nothing but the claims ol the lower-paid olncers would receive, consideration by the Government at present is reported to have been made by the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) recently to a deputation, ol executive members of the Public Seivice Association. This information is given in the August issue of the "Public. Service Journal.” Mr Savage is reported to have been emphatic that the Government was not at this stage prepared even to consider any improvements except those that were affecting the “underdog.” The executive officers of the association made it, clear that lowerpaid officers’ conditions were the first concern of the association. The Government, the journal states, was not prepared to agree to the publication in it of the interview with the Prime Minister. Without a breach of confidence, however, the journal was able to give some indication of the trend of the talk. Mr Savage, it is reported, said that he had in his mind the desirability of the Government. appointing some pers.-n, associated with representatives of the service, to report to the Government on matters affecting its employees’ conditions, and to make representations relating to those matters. The object would be to endeavour to assist to expedite finality regarding the claims of the association.

The journal states that it was clear that tlie Prime Minister was in the main non-committal as to the Government’s ultimate intentions. Nevertheless, it should be stated that never had the association had a more sympathetic interview with the present Prime Minister. In the case of the lower-paid and temporary employees, it was considered that the interview had helped matters along, even although public servants would be doomed to considerable disappointment if they allowed themselves to believe that the association was going to get specific decisions without some further delay. Thinking public servants must bear in mind that the Government of the day had other problems, too, bn its hands. Every endetavour would be made by the association to secure the desired results.