WAGE CUTS

Southland Times, Issue 22731, 6 November 1935, Page 7

WAGE CUTS

RESTORATION SOUGHT. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION NEXT MONTH. Several clauses relating to petitions by certain employees for the restoration of the cut in wages were before the City Council at its meeting last night when the Finance Committee recommended that consideration of the petitions should be deferred until the December meeting when the committee would be in a better position to judge whether the state of the finances would warrant a 5 per cent, increase to employees in all departments. Councillor Denham moved qs an amendment that the council should immediately restore 5 per cent, of the 10 per cent, cut made in the case of general labourers in its employ. Councillor E. J. McLauchlan seconded the amendment pro forma. Councillor H. Ritchie, chairman of the Finance Committee, explained the committee’s reason for leaving the question of all salary rises over until December. He said that there was a feeling that the applications were due in some measure to the approach of an election.

Councillor J. H. Tattersfield said that the men were not being turned down simply because consideration was being deferred till next month when the whole question of restoring 5 per cent., 7£ per cent, or 10 per cent, could be investigated in the light of the financial position of the city. The restoration could be made retrospective, if necessary. The Mayor: You have about four different classifications of men seeking increases; the whole matter should be carefully gone into. The amendment was put to the meeting and declared lost