HOSPITAL PAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22094, 27 April 1935, Page 12

HOSPITAL PAY

RESTOBATION OF CUTS RULING BY DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC APPROVAL NEEDED FIRST GENERAL REDUCTION A ruling regarding the restoration of cuts in'salaries and wages by hospital boards throughout the Dominion has been given in a circular letter signed bv the Director-General of Health, Dr. M. H. Watt. Briefly, the instruction of the Health Department is that the original 10 per cent cut, imposed in 1931, is not to be restored either in part or in whole until specific approval is given. The letter from the department reads as follows:—"The department has received inquiries from several hospital boards as to its attitude toward the restoration of general salary reductions. Furthermore, the department has received notification and has also seen press notices indicating that several hospital boards have already decided on the partial restoration of the first general reduction in salaries, these boards having presumably already restored the second general cut made in 1932. Qualified Restoration "Objection is not taken by the department to a board, which has closely followed the example of the Government in the matter of both the first and second cuts, also granting a general increase of 5 per cent in salaries and wages; that is, virtually restoring the second general cut and dating this increase from April 1, 1934, if not already effective. Further, objection will not be taken to minor adjustments of a board's salary and wages rates for individual employees who are definitely underpaid in comparison with the majority of employees in their class. "With these qualifications, however, the department, in view of the limited amount expected to be available for subsidies and in order to bring about an equitable allocation of subsidies, is not prepared to recommend the approval of boards' estimates which pro- j vide for the restoration of any portion of the first general reduction in salaries. It is therefore desirable that each board refrains from restoring, in part or whole, the first general salary reduction until approval is specifically given." Position in Auckland The departmental order is likely to have an effect on the proposals of the Auckland Hospital Board. Some time ago the board adopted a new graduated scale of wages and salaries for the majority of its employees, the general result of which was to grant slight increases. The new scale came into operation this month. At its last meeting the board also decided to restore the 10 per cent cut to all its officers who had not received such a restoration. In the first place, the board imposed only one cut, the original 10 per cent re-, duction imposed in 1931. whereas many other boards imposed the second cut of 5 per cent in addition. As far as can be gathered, the board's special scale will not be affected by the department's pronouncement, but the future of the full 10 per cent restoration is another matter. The whole question will be considered at a special meeting of the board on Tuesday afternoon. THE CHRISTCHURCH BOARD INCREASE IN WAGES DEFERRED [BY TKLEGIIAPH PRKSS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Friday At the request of the Department of Health, the question of any increase in salary to members of the staff of the Cliristchurch Hospital has been held up. The department has asked that any action by the board on the question be delayed pending the examination of the board's estimates by the department. The board had previously decided on a 5 per cent increase in wages.