RISES FOR HIGHER OFFICERS

Southland Times, Issue 23378, 9 December 1937, Page 6

RISES FOR HIGHER OFFICERS

COST OF REGRADING OF PUBLIC SERVICE (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 7. The distribution of more than £250,000 in extra payments in the regrading of the Public Service is disclosed in the Supplementary Estimates, the department receiving most benefit being the Post and Telegraph Depart-' ment, with its 10,000 employees. The regrading in this department will cost £125,000. There is another vote of £28,000 for regrading the first division of the Railway Department, which has over 20,000 employees, and in this case the rank and file have obtained benefits from the 40-hour week which require a further vote of £60,813 to adjust anomalies arising from its introduction, this being a proportion of the estimated annual cost of £104,250.

The most significant change shown in the Supplementary Estimates is the attempt to remunerate the higher departmental officers on a scale commensurate with their responsibility. Criticism was heard in Parliament of the salaries of £l5OO paid to the heads of the newest services of broadcasting, but increments in the Supplementary Estimates bring the General Manager of Railways to £l6OO, the Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department to £l5OO and the Director-Genera 1 , of the Post and Telegraph Department to £l5OO, and on the £1350 mark are the Comptroller of Customs, the Director of Education and the heads of the Health and Mental Hospitals Departments.

The Permanent Head of the Prime Minister’s Department will receive £l2OO, the Director-General of Agriculture and the Secretary of Industries and Commerce £l3OO each and the Secretary of the Marine Department and the Commissioner of Police £lOOO each.