PAY IN THE NAVY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20988, 26 September 1931, Page 9

PAY IN THE NAVY.

TEN PER CENT. REDUCTION. ' / MEETING MEN'S GRIEVANCES * DECISION OF ADMIRALTY. EFFECT IN NEW ZEALAND. The decision of the British Government • with respect to the reduction in the pay of the men of the Navy has been announced in a wireless message received by the warships in New Zealand from Sir Austen Chamberlain, First, Lord of the Admiralty. Instead of introducing the 1925 rates of pay, the Government has decided to effect a 10 per cent, cut in the | pay of all those men who would have | come under the 1925 scale on October L "There are undoubtedly classes of persons who are unfairly affected," states the message, "and the Government has, in view of all these circumstances, come to the conclusion that the simplest way of removing just grievances is to limit the I reductions, as to teachers, the, police and | defence services, to not more than 10 per | cent." | The message adds that officers and men . who would have been transferred on j October 1 from the 1919 to the lower 1925 j rates of pay will, as from that date, rej ceive their current rates of pay less 10 i per cent. Where this reduction will re- ! duce the pay below the 1925 scale the ■ latter scale will apply instead. I The British Government's decision will affect approximately 200 Imperial ratings on H.M.S. Laburnum and H.M.S. Veron- ! ica. The crew of H.M.S. Dicmede, numbering about 3CO. are on the New Zealand Government's pay-roll and are hot affected by the cut, although a reduction in their pay is expected on lines somewhat similar to the cuts already made in the New Zealand civil service. The men on H.M.S. Philomel, numbering 146, are also on the New Zealand pay-roll. The difference between the Imperial and New Zealand rates of pay is considerable, an able seaman on the Imperial pay-roll receiving 4s a day, and an able seaman on the New Zealand Government's payroll Is a day. In order to maintain equality, however. Imperial ratings serving in New Zealand waters receive similar pay to thojje men paid by the New Zealand Government. The difference in pay is deemed to represent the higher cost of living in New Zealand, and the absence of certain privileges, such as railway travelling concessions, which form a valuable emolument for naval men in England. In addition to his daily-pay, a married man under Imperial articles is entitled to receive Is a day marriage allowance, or 2s if his wife is in New Zealand. There is a weekly allowance for each child in both cases. On leaving the service men engaged on the New Zealand scale receive deferred pay, which provides them with a lump sum upon which to retire. Men serving under Imperial articles receive a weekly pension. The 10 per cent, reduction in the case of an able seaman receiving 4s a day will amount to less than sd. whereas, if the 1925 scale had been enforced, the reduction would have amounted to Is. The 10 per cent, cut in the pay of the men will not apply to the higher ranks of commissioned officers. In 1925 officers received a 5 per cent, reduction in their salaries, increased on July;-!, 1931, to 8 per cent., and on October 1 they will receive a further 3 per cent, cut, making a reduction of 11 per cent, from the rates of pay ruling in 1925. Moreover, unlike officers in the British Army and Air Force, naval officers do not receive marriage or kit allowances.