TWO SCALES OF PAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20981, 18 September 1931, Page 9

TWO SCALES OF PAY.

THE 1925 REDUCTIONS. UNIFORM APPLICATION. MAY COMMITTEE'S REPORT. SAVING IN FIGHTING SERVICES. Two important points regarding the proposed reduction in the pay of naval ratings hnv* not boon explained in tho 'cable messages. One is that the new scile has been in force for almost six y«ars in respect of entrants to the Navv since October 4, 1925, so that the present pioposals apply only to men serving in tho Fleet on that date. The second is that two scales of pay have similarly been in force in the Army, and that the report by the Economy Committee, published on August 1, of which Sir George May was chairman, recommended the application of 1925 rates of pay for all personnel of the fighting services, the effect being estimated to produce a saving in a full year of £2,199,000. Prior to 1925, pay in tho Navy was determined in accordance with tho report of the committee under Admiral Sir Martvn Jereain in 1919, Proposals for a revision ot tho scales were discussed in the early part, of 1925, evidently leading to misgivings in the Fleet, for, on August lfi, tho Admiralty issued an announcement reiterating a previous assurance by the Government that "ratings now serving would continue to receive substantive pay at, the Jcrram committee rates during the whole period of their continuous service, a id that there is 110 intention of departing from that decision." This undertaking was confirmed when tho Fleet o-ders inauguiating a new scale as from October 4 were issued. Tho lower rates were specifically applied only to entrants to the service after that date, but a clause was added that "it must be clearly understood that men aro wot entitled to daim a right to any rate of pay or other emolument under existing scales in the event of reduced scales being introduced." Tho new rates of pay mentioned in a cablegram yesterday are identical with the 1925 scale.

The pay oi: able seamen is being reduced f;om 4s to 3s a day. Although this represents a " cut " of 25 per cent, in the basic rate of pay, the percentage is not nearly so great when a mau's additional emoluments are taken into account, such as his clothing and victualling allowances and his good conduct and gunnery allowances. In the case of young men of 21 the reduction amounts actually to s.bout 15 or 20 per cent, and in the caso of men about 24 years of age, with perhaps five or six years' service, it approximates 10 pur cent. Similar reductions in the pay scales for the Army were announced shortly after tho new Navy rates, the pay of a privato f.oldier being reduced from 2s 9d to 2s, the same an for ordinary seamen in the Navy. According to Army orders of October 26, 1925, soldiers already serving before that date would not be affected by the revised rates.