PUBLIC SERVICE SALARIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 15 June 1920, Page 5

PUBLIC SERVICE SALARIES

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. Replying t:p a deputation from Post and Telegraph Conference yesterdav, Mr Massey announced that the Government proposed to deal with the question of public service/ salaries in a comprehensive way and he would endeavour to get; a scheme settled before the House met. “It is not only the railway people we have to provide for.’’ said Mr Massey. “We have to provide for the Post and Telegraph service, for the police, and for the school teachers, and the Government propose to ask certain officers of the public service, men of experience and _ ability, such as the Public Service Commissioner, head of the Postal Department, nead of the Railway Department, and the head of the Treasury, to assist the Government in drawing up what I believe will be a satisfactory scale of payments. We have no intention of keeping the Postal Department out in anv way or dealing with them unfairly compared with other branches of the public service. I wish to make it dear that every department will be considered by itself. I believe what |we do with the railway department .cannot be applied to the postal department because the conditions and duties are not the same. Our aim is to have the salaries of the public service settled, and settled for some time to come. This will mean an increased Burden to the taxpayer, there is no doubt. I hope to be able to get the money. So far as the Railway Department is concerned I am going to get the money by putting up the fares and freights, and so far as the postal service is concerned I am going to put up rates. It is only fair that the people using these services should pay.”