The Times SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1945. A Little Pay Problem

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 266, 10 November 1945, Page 6

The Times SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1945. A Little Pay Problem

Taking over the Bank of New Zealand is not going to be “all beer and skittles’’ for the Government. One of the minor headaches which has already developed concerns the salaries paid in the Public Service and the new recruits to that Service. It provides a pretty problem for the Minister of Finance—present or prospective. Already the Public Service Association has made a strong protest against the decision of the Government not to bring the officers employed by the Bank of New Zealand under the control of the Public Service Commissioner, at the same time stating its strong- objection to the unfavourable position created by the generous superannuation provision for bank employees when compared with other public servants. A wide g-ulf exists between the salaries of bank employees and public servants. That is not surprising, for a like gulf exists between the pay of any State employee and any man holding a comparable position in private enterprise. Recent pay increases granted by the Arbitration Court and the Railways Tribunal—which sets the pace for Public Service increases—show that the Court is always a jump ahead of the Tribunal, and, it may be added, the watersiders and coalminers arc always a couple of jumps ahead of both Court and Tribunal. How does Mr. Nash propose to handle the new position which has arisen with the acquisition of the Bank of New Zealand? The Public Service will not take kindly to lagging a long way behind bank officials in the matter of salaries. Why should they? Take, kay, the head of the money order department in a chief post offi.ee. He handles possibly £6,000,000 a year, and he receives just,about half as much for such a job as lie would be paid if he were doing the same work in a bank. Of course, in the Public Service he does not work for profit, but for the public weal! That is apparently his reward—or half of it, anyway. Does the Minister of Finance propose to give equal pay for equal work in the Public Service, and, if so, will the levelling process be up or down?