PUBLIC SERVICE SALARIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17978, 31 December 1921, Page 8

PUBLIC SERVICE SALARIES.

CASE AGAINST DECREASE.

The attitude of the Civil Service, to any reduction in salaries is very strongly set forth in the Pubic Service Journal just issued. It sayß:—Officors in touch with Public Sorvice affairs know well that the conditions on which tho £50 cost of living increase was granted, in April, 1920, to all publio eorvanta (railwaymcn, postal officials, teachers, and ourselves) wan that, in the event of tho living cost dropping 10 points below the increase (62 per cent.) BhoWn at that time, wo were to suffer a proportionate decrease, amounting ap proximately to £6 per annum for officer* drawing £165 por annum or less and t" £15 tier annum for officers receiving more than that amount. When Mr. Mukv made hifl announcement of a possible 10 per cent, reduction or inoro, the execu tive, within 24 hours had the full force? of the association at work. Wo believe tb»t tho result of our unceasing activities and vigilance, combined with that of lie other service organisations will be that the reduction proposals, which we expect to be introduced next month, will be on a much more modest scale than was originally intended. Our position to-day is that if the cost of livinc is practically down to 52 per cent-, the point mentioned in our agreement, then in the ordinary course we must accept a decrease' referred to, though, on account of the fact that the Arbitration Court has stabilised the wiges of workers coming within its jurisdiction to March 31 next, we will onposo any de crease before that time. If the Govern ment attempts in its proposals to go fur thcr than this, then it is lireaklng it* agreement, and the Bervice association* must combat them with all their strrnßtii We hope that the Prime Minister will remember tho words littered by the Arbitra lion Court Judge: " I do not know -vhst claims there are on the nation's resources which should have priority overdo just wages of the nation's employees" It will be eeen from the figures published elfcwhere that the cost-of-living index number for November shows a fab \r> slightly betow the 52 per cent, referred to in tho article, viz., 51.87