Mr Sterling’s Position

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6621, 6 August 1931, Page 8

Mr Sterling’s Position

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Kindly permit mo to reply to tho erroneous statements made recently in your paper by that mathematical genius styled (‘ ‘ A Sheep with no wool.”) I am in a position to know that the statement made by the Prime Minister as to the request of Mr. Sterling, general manager of railways, that lie be dealt with in the same manner as members retiring on 35 years is quite a fact. The Finance Act of 1931 provided for tho retirement of members who had completed 35 years’ service with the Department and also that members may voluntarily retire on 30 years' service. Mr. Sterling will have had 36 years' service on September 4th next and has evidently availed himself of the Government’s offer of the 30 years’ voluntary clause although his contract held good for another live years. The general manager was considerate enough to consider the finance of tho country when sacrificing £3150 per annum for five years and I am afraid that ‘ 1 Sheep with no wool” is a most inconsiderate individual. Having tendered his resignation there was no man more surprised than Mr. Sterling himself when that gentleman was offered the chairmanship of a board whose chairman had already been elected (Colonel Esson). Provided Mr. Sterling elected to contribute to the superannuation fund on the salary he was receiving (£3500) prior to March 31st as provided for by the Act, his retiring allowance would be £1750 and not £2041 as the public has been led to believe. From the indisputable figures mentioned above it will be seen that Mr. Sterling cannot possibly receive more than £i7so per annum superannuation, and £IOO9 per annum as chairman of the Railway Board, totalling £2750, equivalent to a- loss of £750 to that which he received prior to March 31st. It is questionable whether the Minister of Railways would grant six months retiring allowance to a member who has not completed 40 years’ service. On tho other hand it is likely tho retiring allowance would be computed independently on the service actually completed. Mr. Sterling has been most generous and considerate and has adopted a most unselfish attitude in sacrificing five years of his contract with tho Government for the benefit of this suffering individual who is evidently embedded in a bale of wool without Mr. Forbes endeavouring to pull it over his eyes.— I am, etc., GEO. NEWTON.