RISING COSTS OF LIVING

Southland Times, Issue 23848, 20 June 1939, Page 6

RISING COSTS OF LIVING

Difficulties Faced By Ratings STATE TAXATION ON NAVY PAYMENTS (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 19. Comparisons with the wages earned in civilian occupations and in the New Zealand Military Forces lie behind the dissatisfaction of the New Zealand ratings with their rates of pay. Dissatisfaction has been particularly rife among the married men, who state that they have been finding it increasingly difficult, in face of the rising costs of living, to maintain themselves and their families on the allowances given in the navy.

It was stated that these two factors — shore wages and the increasing costs of living—had been responsible for two requests decided upon at today’s meetings. One request was for a general increase in pay of 3/- a day. This was made for all grades of ratings and was not varied on scale from one rank to another, so that the lower-paid men would be just as capable as the more highly paid rating of meeting the increased costs of living. The second request was that the marriage allowance should be assessed quarterly. This procedure, it was stated, would provide scope to meet the increased costs of living as they occurred from time to time. It did not mean that the men wanted an increase in their marriage allowance at the end of every quarter, but that a review should then be made and an increase granted if costs had increased in the meantime. At the present time there is a flat rate of 7/4 a day for all ratings, This rate is a basic one for the lowestpaid seaman. From it is calculated the pay for higher rankings, so that a man with one good conduct badge would get 7/4 plus 3d, a man with two good conduct badges 7/4 plus 6d, and a leading seaman, petty officer seaman, leading stoker, petty officer stoker and so on, 7/4 plus the additional amount prescribed for their rank. INCREASE IN FLAT RATE The request decided upon today is to the effect that the basic or flat rate should be increased to 10/4. On top of this amount, the men with higher ranks would get the present allowances. Considerable importance was attached by the men to their wish that a change should be made in the basic rate, and not to the additional allowances. In addition to his personal pay, a married New Zealand rating receives a marriage allowance of 2/- a day for his wife and sixpence for each child. In the Royal Navy, the marriage allowance is 17/- a week, although the New Zealand ratings state that the cost of living in England is much cheaper than in the Dominion. However, they said they are not asking for an increased marriage allowance. They thought a fair request would be to have the allowance reviewed from time to time in' the light of the costs of living, It is stated that, particularly for a married seaman and stoker, without petty officer rank, the position has become almost impossible. Even for a petty officer, for whom an allocation of about £3 a week is made to his wife, the increased living costs are stated to have become such that the pay is barely sufficient to meet all the calls made upon it.

High rents and State taxation on internal navy payments are cited as increasing the difficulties facing married men, who state that by the time all commitments are met their own personal allowance, is decreased to a few shillings a week, from which they have to meet their own mess bill.

The increase in the pay of rankings in the Air and Army departments have deepened the naval grievances. In addition, comparisons are made with the wages drawn by such men as Public Works Department employees. To this latter condition the men assign frequent desertions from the Navy. Finally the men make a. point of their inability under the regulations to bargain for wage increases collectively. There is a feeling, stated a number of them, that provision for an individual complaint is not sufficient to meet pay grievances, and that some better form of machinery could be established.