CANBERRA OFFICIALS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21552, 25 July 1933, Page 12

CANBERRA OFFICIALS

COST OF LIVING CUTS IN ALLOWANCES CRITICISM AND REPLY In defending the decision of the Australian Government to reduco and, 111 certain eases, abolish the special allowance to Commonwealth public servants contpulsoril.v transferred to ( unborra in the early days, the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Sir George Pearce, stated in the Senate recently tliat the need for the allowance had almost passed. Those officials in Canberra now were better off than they were at the time of the first transfers in 1927-28, said Sir George, because the capital had many more disabilities then. The allowance was a special and temporary one as compensation for the difficulties and inconveniences encountered at llio outset. Tho allowance had been greatly reduced sinco 1927. For married public servants the allowance has been reduced from £26 to £l3 a year, and for single officers and those married since the transfer who were in receipt, of £K3 a year allowance it had been abolished. Sir George Fenrre was replying to a speech by tho Opposition Leader, Senator Barnes, who urged tho disallowance of the statutory rule under which the alterations are made. Mr. Barnes claimed that tho question should be determined by tho Commonwealth Public Service Arbitrator. If tho allowance were continued at tho same rate as last year, he said, it would cost tho Government only £9OOO. Employment For Children Senator Millan (Tasmania) supported tho Labour protest. Ho agreed that the matter should bo referred to tho Public Service Arbitrator. Ho did not consider that conditions now were any better than when the transfers began. Tho cost of living had always been considerably higher in Canberra than in any of the other six capital cities. Moreover, public servants with families, added Mr. Millen, were faced with tho problem of finding employment for their growing children. Even in normal times, Canberra offered 110 avenues of employment. He was not worrying about the more highly paid officials, but he was deeply concerned with those on the bread line. Sir George I'carce said that tho special Canberra allowance was awarded in tho first place by tho Government, and had never been before tho Public Service Arbitrator. Therefore it was not a matter that should be sent to him now. He emphasised that the allowance was paid only to those compulsorily transferred. It was not paid to a great many others who had gone to Canberra voluntarily. To continue the allowanco would be to perpetuato a privilege for a few. Tho cost of living in Canberra, continued Sir George, was beside tho question, ff there were to be any differentiation as hctween public servants in Canberra and Sydney, or Canberra and Melbourne 011 this account, then why should there not be a differentiation for instance btween Sydney and Perth or Adelaide? Labour Senators: Yes, why not? Some Isolated Places Sir George said that Canberra was not isolated like places such as Broome, Bourke, Cairns or Alice Springs, where Commonwealth public servants were stationed. Life was more tolerable 111 Canberra, and unless that fact were accepted, the Commonwealth Government should considerably increase the districts disability allowance, or extend it to districts in which it was not boing paid at present. Regarding the compulsorily transferred officers who had married since the transfer. Sir Gooi-go Pearce said that the abolition was justified, because in the establishment of a home, they were not subject to the difficulties and inconveniences which faced those who had to uproot their homes and remake them in Canberra.