RETRENCHMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3542, 31 January 1922, Page 51

RETRENCHMENT.

A REASONABLE SPIRIT. WELLINGTON, January 25. During the debate on the Retrenchment Bill in the House of Representatives tonight the Leader of the Labour Party (Mr H. E. Holland) asserted that the public service was seething with discontent and that the rank and file were practically “driving theiff leaders in a certain direction.” The Prime Minister, said he did not believe these statement were correct. The increases given to the public servants in respect of the advance in the cost of living had amounted to £4,500,000 a year- and the present loss on the railways was at the rate- of about £1,000,000 a year. A very serious “cut” would have to be made in the railway services during the next few weeks. The Government had to reduce these charges. If it did not reduce them thousands of people would be thrown out of employment because there would be r,o mone; to pay them. He did not believe that the State employees were “seething with discontent” about the reductions. He knew better. He had received deputations from the various civil service organisations during the last few days. He knew that the wires were being pulled by politicians with the object of making political capital, but the attitude of the civil servants was not. unreasonable. A deputation from the Public Service Associations interviewed him a few days ago. The principal speaker of that deputation told him that the association was prepared to accept the first “cut” now in view of the reduction that had taken place already in the cost of living. It was prepared to consider the second "cut” when the cost of living fell another 10 points. He had been impressed favourably by this statement from the Rublic Ser vice Association. Mr T. M. Wilford: Any otlier section? Mr Massey; The engine men. The honourable member will get all the information in time. I don’t want to make trouble. I say that the engine men are prepared to accept the “cut.” The Prime Minister added that he was proposing to add to the Bill a clause providing that the railwayman might effect their reduction by agreement with the General Manager instead of under the provisions of the Bill, provided that the full amount of saving was secured. The two branches of the railway service had asked for this clause. The idea was that they would not effect, the whole of their reduction by cutting salaries. There were equivalents that might be arranged, such as reduction of overtime charges and longer hours of work. These arrangements were merely suggested, and he did not know that anything would come of them. The clause would permit of negotiations being undertaken. Mr Massey insisted that the people who had received the bonuses had understood clearly that there would be reductions when the cost of living fell. PUBLIC SERVICE PROTESTS. BLENHEIM, January 25. A mass meeting of civil servants discussed the Government’s proposed reduction of salaries, and resolved-*“That this combined meeting of civil servants most, emphatically protests against the proposed reduction ot salaries and wages. WANGANUI. January 25. A meeting of about 500 civil servants to-night passed the following resolution: “That this general meeting of Wanganui public servants enters a strong and emphatic protest against the proposals to reduce salaries and wages as proposed by the Retrenchment Bill. The cost of living not having yet fallen to a point at whirh retrenchment is warranted, we strongly oppose any such retrenchment. We resard the present proposals as special taxation levelled against one section of the community, the majority of whoso incomes do not even warrant the payment of income tax. We cannot conceive how the Government can justify ,a remission of taxation to wealthy members of the community, and at the same time force a reduction of salaries and wages on the lower-paid section of the public service. The duties of public servants are no less onerous and responsible than they were when the present scale of salary was established. This meeting therefore requests that its representatives in Parliament. strongly oppose any reduction in wages or salaries, and pledges itself to support its respective executives in any action deemed necessary.” MASTERTON, January 25. A meeting, comprising 200 civil servants, representing every Government department and all parts of the W r airarapa district, and a number of the general public, passed a resolution to-night, emphatically protesting against the proposed salary reductions, anil calling on the local members of Parliament to oppose i lip Bill.

GREYMOUTH, January 25. A meeting of oyer 100 public servant* of all branches to-night passed a resolution similar to that passed at & recent meeting in W ellington, strongly protesting against the reductions on the ground that the 1914 basic wage had increased only 56 per cent when the April, 1920, adjustment was mn/py Later tho cost of living rose to 80 pet cent. The cost of living had not yet been reduced to 45 per cent., hence the proposed adjustment was unfair and meant special taxation on one section of the community. The West Coast M-P.’s were called on to oppose the proposal*. Further resolutions thanking the La<boar Party for resisting the Bill until the publio servants could organise their forces, and also protesting against the campaign by a section of the press m favour of the reductions, Were passed. CHRISTCHURCH, January 25. At a mass meeting of civil servants, which was largely attended, the Government retrenchment proposals were condemned by •peakers representing the various branches of the publio service, and a resolution in the same terms as that passed at the recent meeting in Wellington was carried unanimously. PUBLIC SERVICE PROTESTS. Palmerston n., January 261 A mats meeting of 150 representatives of au branches of the public service unanimously resolved—“ This meeting of publio servants enters a most emphatic protest against the Bill now before the House and the clauses contained it. AUCKLAND, January 25. The Railway Officers’ Institute resolved—'"That os the employee's of the department had nothing to do with creating the financial difficulties of the Government thev fail to see why their salaries and wages should be commandeered for extricating the Government; that railways were constructed for the most part for political and colonising purposes, end that many lines were laid, the construction of which a business concern would not have entertained for a moment. To expect the railways to pay an adequate return of the capital expended under such circumstances is unreasonable, and attempts to do so resulted in the charges to the nublic being unduly raised, to the detriment of the railway business. Whilst assuring the executive of their confidence and -loyal support, the time has arrived when immediate negotiations should be opened with the, other two railway societies and other civil service organisation* with a view to comhaling unitedly on common grounds the Government’s unreasonable proposals.” DUNEDIN RAILWAYMEN. In view of the strong feeling among r&ilwaymen with regard to the proposed reduction in wages, the executive of the A.5.R.3. has decided to hold a strike ballot. At a mass meeting of employees of Hillside Workshops last week it was decided to endorse the action of the executive.