POLICEMEN'S WAGES
REPORT OF DISCONTENT IN THE FORCE. There is said to be much discontent in the police force throughout the Dominion concerning adjustment of wages, but it has not assumed aggressive form, as was rumoured in Wellington (states the Dominion). The dissatisfaction is reported to be over the conditions associated with the 5 per cent, restoration of the cut in pay suffered by all public serva'nts. It is explained officially that although the first cut of 10 per cent, in April, 1931, was experienced by the police force, along with other servants of the State, the second national cut of 10 per cent, imposed in April, 1932, was not suffered by the police because the authorities, in recognition of the special work done by the force all over the Dominion, granted special allowances equivalent to the second cut in pay. That arrangement placed the police in a better position than all the other civil servants. Following the recent decision of the Government to make a 5 per cent, restoration of the cut in salaries and wages throughout the Public Service, the special allowances to the police have been withdrawn. This is said to have caused the discontent. The authorities state that the force is still better off than any other public servants; but a constable said recently: "Constables are getting two shillings a week less." Before the 10 per cent, cut was made in 1931, the wages of menabers of the force v/ere as follow: Senior sergeants, from 21s to 22s a day; sergeants, 19s to 20s; constables, 15s to 17s 6d; senior detectives, 21s to 225; detectives, 21s to 225; detectivesergeants, 19s to 20s; detectives, 15s 6d to 17s 6d.
There are 1211 policemen in New Zealand, equal to one policeman to every 1279 persons; in Victoria the proportion is 1 to 836; in New South Wales, 1 to 730; Queensland 1 to 747; South Australia, 1 to 790; West Australia, 1 to 786, and in Tasmania, 1 to 893.
It is said that discontent about pay is most marked in Auckland, where the police are looked upon as having had to bear the brunt of public unrest.
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Bibliographic details
King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4607, 9 October 1934, Page 7
Word Count
360POLICEMEN'S WAGES King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4607, 9 October 1934, Page 7
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