SALARY REDUCTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20898, 13 June 1931, Page 10

SALARY REDUCTIONS.

HAMILTON BOROUGH STAFF. EXEMPTION OF FIRST £2OO. DECISION OF COUNCIL. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.'] HAMILTON, Friday. The question of reducing the salaries of borough employees was discussed at a special meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council this afternoon. The Mayor, Dr. F. D. Pinfold, presided. Tho discussion occupied nearly two hours and was at times of an acrimonious nature. Members were frequently called to order. After several amendments had beon proposed and rejected, the following motion, which had been passed in committee, was adopted : "That a 10 per cent, cut be made on all salaries and wages with the exception of the first £2OO of salary, or £4 of weekly wage." NO ACTION AT WAIHI. BOROUGH COUNCIL'S DECISION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] WAIHI, Friday. The question of reducing the salaries and wages of its employees was before the Waihi Borough Council at a special meeting last evening. Mr. 11. W. Hopkins, in moving for a reduction in tho • wages of the outdoor staff, stated that the council was not i Jike a private employer, free to pay such wages as ho might choose, but it had a definite duty to its ratepayers. It had no more right to pay an unnecessary amount for its work than it would for its : | stores. I It was not for the council to enunciate a theory of world or Dominion economics. 1 Members of the council were called upon to face the position as it existed, and the position was that the ■ Arbitration Court had, after an exhaustive inquiry, ruled that the Dominion could hot continue to pay the rates of wages which existed up to the date of its recent order. | The Court's opinion was that the income ! of tho country was not sufficient to foot i the bill and that the wheels of industry wero being brought to a standstill. Tho motion lapsed for want of a seconder. PAEROA BOROUGH EMPLOYEES. DEDUCTION OF 10 PER CENT. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.! PAEROA, Friday. The Paeroa Borough Council decided last evening to reduce all wages and ! salaries of over £l2O by 10 per cent., with the exception of the foreman's wages, which wero reduced to £5 a week. ihe reduction in all cases will bo operative as from next pay-day.