The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, May 11, 1934. PUBLIC SERVANTS’ PAY.

Grey River Argus, 11 May 1934, Page 4

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, May 11, 1934. PUBLIC SERVANTS’ PAY.

When he recently’ stated they could expect no restoration of salary and wages reductions, the Prime Minister possibly meant to forestall the deputation which the civil servants are unitedly sending to him this week to advocate a restoration. It cannot be denied, indeed, that many other workers have fared worse during the depression than the State employees, but the fact that so many are workless is in itself no justification whatever for a plea that therefore other workers should not obtain fair play. By comparison with the employees of many private concerns, those of the State have fared badly, and there is a gen eral conviction to-day that the cuts have been less a blessing than a hardship for the country. In the public service married men particularly have in almost a majority of eases been placed in difficulty by the reduction of their pay, and some have even been disposed to consider 1 he wisdom of seeking other employment so that by so doing they might obtain their superannuation payments to tide them over their obligations. It is pointed out that the public have an exaggerated idea as to the number of high salaries, whereas in comparison to those in private employ, the responsibilities of higher State officials would be accompanied by higher remuneration. One of the most striking cases is that of the great groups of clerical officers, in which reductions have lowered the standards by amounts of from £lOO to £l5O per annum compared with the rates twelve or fourteen years ago. Almost twothirds of the clerks in the gener al section, apart from the Railway and P. and T. Departments are receiving les than £240 yearly, and of these every second one is at the head of the grade, up against a barrier that has been lasting for some considerable time, which means that they have given anything up to twenty years of service. It can not make for efficiency when there is a lack of inducement to rise higher in the service. Particularly questionable is the inadequate level of the lower salary scales. The State exacts a higher standard of qualification to-day for entry to the civil ser-

vice than ever previously, whereas the reward for qualifying is less than ever before. In the rail ways, the wages now are exceedingly low compared with the responsibility, especially among the loco men, where the maximum for men with 20 years’ service and more driving engines is less than £5. With the tradesmen the standard is lower at less than £4 5s for men with 25 years’ ser vice, while traffic employees are similarly ill-paid. In the P. and T. Department, where an enor rnous increase in work has been undertaken by the staff, and this o f a sort which private employers remunerate far better, there are hundreds of very efficient em-

ployees whose pay has been declining over a lengthy period, a line having been drawn for instance below £240, which acts as a veritable hold-up for all and sundry. Teachers’ salaries in dif ferent groups have fallen during the past four years from an aver age of £2Bl to £228, from £351 to £282, and in the ease of women from £242 to £195. Head teachers have also sustained proportionate reductions, whilst the decrease in school attendance has in many eases meant an extra salary loss. Mr Forbes cannot claim that the cost of living has fallen in proportion to the cuts, although it was on that assurance that his administration

brought them in. The fall in the cost of living has been no more than 5 per cent, since the time when the cuts came, and now the tendency is for prices to rise, a tendency the ' Government would be prone to encourage. Xine-'tenths of the State employees are paid less than £24'l per annum, and four-fifths ot them less than £215. There are some opponents of public miterprise who say the salaries of the public service are too costly in the aggregate for the country, but when it comes to a study of the position, those people could scarcely say than the averages mentioned would be to 0 high, whereas the figures quoted are not the average for the majorities mentioned, but the maximum rates for these large sections.

Apart entirely from the urgenev of restoring purchasing power throughout the community, the public servants have a strong claim to restoration of the cuts on account of the value of their services.