CUTS RESTORED

Grey River Argus, 9 August 1935, Page 6

CUTS RESTORED

Borough Employees The Borough Council on the motion of Crs. J. B. Kent and A. H. McKane last evening restored to all employees the remaining five per cent, wages cut, there being only one actual dissentient, Cr. R. J. Williams. The cuts had amounted to ten per cent., half having been restored some months ago. Mr. Kent said the restoration of the remaining five per cent, was to be made as soon as the estimates were finalised. That had been done and he moved that the cuts be restored. It was useless going over the ground which had already been covered. It would be on the right lines and they would be doing their duty like other bodies, in restoring the cuts as requested. Cr. McKane, in seconding, said that no bodv suffered so much as the Greymouth Borough Council employees. They suffered a 10 per cent, cut and were reduced to five days a week, losing half a day. It was a big sacrifice. He remembered when the Borough Council could not obtain labour because the wages were so small, it then paying 12/6 a day, whereas almost anvwhere 15/- was being obtained; yet the men stood by the Borough. The men had sacrificed their wages 10 per cent, and also half a day in order to allow their fellow men to obtain work. Cr. Neville: This is a surprise to me, although I am in favour. I take it that it has not been allowed for in the estimates. The Town Clerk: No. Cr. Neville: If you are going to restore the cuts, provision should be made in the estimates, and it should 1 be stated what it will cost us. The Town Clerk: Roughly it would cost us £lOOO a year, but four months have passed in the financial year. Cr. Neville: Something here has got to be cut down, or we will be £2OOO down next year! The Town Clerk: Five per cent, has already been restored and it would therefore be only half of £lOOO. It would therefore be two-thirds of £5OO, which would amount to £3OO, if the cuts were now restored. Cr. Kent: It is a gesture, not only worth £3OO, but £5OO to the ityCr. R. J. Williams: I fail to see where we can restore the cut, although we would like to. The ratepayers are heavily burdened now. Cr. Kent: How much extra would it impose on ratepayers if £3OO was given back to the employees? Can you work it out? Cr. Williams: Yes, if I had time. Cr. Kent: I couldn’t. Cr. Williams said he was in favour of employing extra men. Cr. McGinley: lam in favour of restoring cuts in the first place, but then when we get to the limit we will have to knock off the unemployed getting subsidy from the Council. I am not in favour of loading the ratepayers and I want to see the reduction in the hospital levy taken off the rates. Cr. A. M. Carroll said that increases had been granted to some employees and he did not believe in making fish of one and flesh of another. There were applications in for increases, and if they were going to increase one, they should increase all of them. The Borough had taken 10 per cent, off their men and the County 20 per cent, and the latter body had restored it all. He realised that the cost of living was going up. He believed in treating all alike and if they restored one man’s wages, they should restore the lot. Mr. McKane: We are only restoring what we took away. Cr. A. H. Paterson said that, although it would mean a slight increase in expenditure they could make the restorations and do without something else. In inflicting the cuts, the wrong thing had been done, and the gesture to the employees involving £3OO would be worth it. They could give it back and at the same time not put extra rates on the ratepayers. Cr. F. Boustridre said he thought that the Council could restore what it had taken away. They might have to pare down other items, but would get improved efficiency and it would be worth while to the Council. Cr. Kent: It won’t put a fraction on to the rates and if there was any likelihood, you could not calculate it. The motion was then put and carried, Cr. Williams dissenting. Cr. Kent asked for a show of hands. Cr. Neville: It is alright. I am in favour of it; but where are you getting the money from?