UNIVERSITY SALARIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21932, 16 October 1934, Page 10

UNIVERSITY SALARIES

PARTIAL RESTORATION PRESENT RATES AS BASIS The question how the 5 per cent increase in staff salaries under the Finance Act should be applied was discussed by tho Auckland University College Council yesterday. The finance committed reported that it'hftd considered a memorandum from the Director of Education on tho subject and had discussed whether present actual salaries should bo increased by 5 per cent or whether tho second cut of 8} per cent should be reduced to 3>} per cent. It had decided to defer consideration until the vice-president, Mr. T. U. Wells, and Mr. S. I. Crookes had reported upon an interview with the Hon. R, Masters, Minister of Education, in Wellington Professor Maxwell Walker, chairman of the professorial board, asked whether the committee had considered restoring the whole of tho second cut. The president, Mr. Kenneth Mackenzie, said that such action would necessarily depend on an increased grant from the Government. The college would have to show how it proposed to expend the grant, and he did not think that it would receive any consideration if it proposed a'further restoration of salaries. Mr. H. Horton said that the college could not very well take isolated action; it would have to consult the other colleges. Mr. Wells said he discussed the suggestion with professors of Victoria and Canterbury Colleges, who seemed rather surprised and expressed no hope that it would succeed. The Minister gave him the impression that no more than a 5 per cent increase was contemplated. He pointed out that four new professors had been engaged for Auckland University College on a nominal salary, less cuts," and that they would be entitled to expect a restoration rather than a percentage increase on their actual salaries. The council decided to increase present salaries by 5 per cent retrospectively to April 1 last.