CIVIL SERVANTS' PAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21859, 23 July 1934, Page 15

CIVIL SERVANTS' PAY

REDUCTION ! N " CUTS " NEW SOUTH WALES BILL [I'llOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] SYDNEY, July 14 When the New South Wales Parliament lately reassembled, its first act was to partially restore the cuts that had begyi made in the salaries and wages of civil servants. Parliament passed through all its stages, as a matter of urgency, a bill to extend the operation of the Public Service Salary Reduction Act, but at the Government's behest reduced the cuts by 20 per cent. Thus the Government is restoring to the Stato public servants one-fifth of the amounts by which their salaries or wages have been reduced, involving the Government in an additional outlay of £400,000 a year. While praising the Government for its excellent intentions, there are many who would have preferred to see a restoration of wages delayed until the financial position of the Stato is more secure. This same section opposes further cuts in taxes, and holds that if the Government has any surplus it should be used in the relief of unemployment. ■ , - When the bill was introduced thero were cheer's at the Government announcement that members of Parliament would not benefit in any way. It was evident that the members themselves realised that they were getting ample recompense for what they did. Or did they/ foresee the public feeling that would be aroused against them- if they increased their own salaries? They probably remembered what happened when the Federal Government agreed to give members another £75 a year. That action did more harm to the Lyons Government than anything else it has done during its torxn of offico.