THE WAR BONUS.

Northern Advocate, 7 December 1916, Page 2

THE WAR BONUS.

TO CIVIL SERVANTS.

DUNEDIN, December 6. Some little time ago a number of public bodies in and around Duuedin co-operated with the Port Chalmers Borough Council in protesting against the payment of a 10 per cent war bonus to highly-paid Civil servants. Last evening a letter, in reply to this resolution, came before the St. Kilda Council. This emanated from the Prime Minister's office in Wellington, and began by stating that the council appeared to be under some misapprehension in regard to the matter, as the war bonus granted by the Government to some of its officers was on the following basis: —Married men receiving up to £315 a year, £15; single men receiving up to £315 a year, £7 10s. It would therefore be seen that while some of the lower grade officers had been granted a bonus equivalent to 10 per cent., in the great majority of eases the rate did not reach anything like that figure. The Acting-Prime Minister went on to point out that the Arbitration Court had recommended payment of a war bonus in a great number of cases, owing to the increase in the cost of living, and it did not appear Tinreasonable that members of -the Public Service receiving £315 and under should receive some like consideration, more especially in view of the fact that they had been cailed upon to perform a great deal of extra work in consequence of the depletion of the staffs of various departments through enlistments. In urging public bodies and others to adopt a policy of economy, the Government wished it to be understood that in the special circumstances that existed at the present time it did not consider it violating such a policy to grant a war bonus where such a I course seemed desirable. When this letter had been read, the Mayor, Mr W. T. McFarlane, remarked that it fairly well evaded the purport , of the motion, which had been directed I against large grants to public servants, not necessarily called bonuses. Mr Harris said the letter was extremely misleading. The Arbitration Court was not granting a bonus to any man who was receiving over £3 a week. He thought the letter should be carefully considered, with a view to framing a reply, and he would move that it be referred to the Finance Committee. The motion was carried.