AN ADVISER'S SALARY

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1076, 13 September 1930, Page 10

AN ADVISER'S SALARY

HOUSE DIFFERS ON SUM FOR DR. VALINTINE MINISTER IS CRITICISED THE SU2CB Parliamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Friday. For about two hours and a-half in the House of Representatives today, discussion waxed hot and diverse upon the question of whether the late Director-General of Health, Dr. T. H. A. Valintine, should be paid the sum of £3OO a year as advisory officer tu the Health Department after his retirement. Dr. Valintine was not a member of the superannuation fund, and this fact members used as a peg on which to hang arguments about superannuation and compassionate allowances generally. As a protest against the placing of the vote on the Health Department estimates, Mr. W. Lee Martin (Labour —Raglan) moved a reduction in the estimates, but his amendment was lost. The grant will, on the undertaking of the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallwo/lliy, be reviewed next year. Air. Martin said that Dr. Valintine had had every chance to avail himself of the privileges of the superannuation fund, but did not do so. The result was, according to the. Minister of Health, that he had been appointed on his retirement from the office of Director-General of Health to an advisory position at. £ 500 a year. Mr. Martin did not think that the House should approve of this step in the interests of national economy, for which there was a great need now. Then, the position of Dr. Valintine's successor had to be considered. Jf the new Director-General had not joined the superannuation fund before 1908 he would not be allowed more than £3OO a year as superannuation. Why should Dr. Valintine receive more than that amount at present in virtual superannuation. AMENDMENT OF PROTEST As a protest against the Minister’s statement, Mr. Martin moved as an amendment that the Health Department vote be reduced by £IOO, as an indication that the House did not approve of the appointment of the retiring Director-General in an advisory capacity at a salary of £ 500 a year. Air. Martin said he understood that Dr. M. H. Watt was to succeed Dr. Valintine. The former had proved that he was capable of directing the affairs of the department efficiently, and there was no need for his work to be interfered with by Dr. Valintine. “It is far better to let him row’ his own hoe,” said Mr. Martin, to the amusement of members. The amendment was supported by Mr. W. K. Barnard (Labour —Napier ). who claimed that the money should be saved. Mr. Barnard did not think that Dr. Valintine was in urgent need and was not in as bad a position as a labourer on £4 10s a week.

The point must not be overlooked, said Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Independent—- ! Grey Lynn) that Dr. Valintine had ! refused *to join the superannuation ! fund. He would vote for the amend - ! ment. i “VIRTUALLY SUPERANNUATION” ! Mr. 11. H. S. Kyle (Reform —Riccarton) questioned if it were wise to i continue the system of giving retiring allowances, which were virtually superannuation. The men concerned had refused to join the superannuation fund and. therefore, they were not really entitled to an allowance. Why should Dr. Valintine receive more than the maximum of superannuation of £3OO a year. Mr. Kyle claimed that the Minister should inform the House as to who would succeed Dr. Valintine. The late Director-General had retired in August, and no announcement of liis successor had been made yet. Mr. Kyle presumed the Minister was waiting to see if the vote to Dr. Valintine were passed. Further discussion at this stage was interrupted by the luncheon adjournment. After lunch, the Minister, speaking to the amendment, said he ! wished to clear up a misunderstanding, i The vote to Dr. Valintine meant no 1 increase in the amount devoted to sali aries. for. as a matter of fact, a reorganisation would mean a saving of | £I.OOO a year in salaries in the depart.- | ment. Dr. Valintine was replacing ! an advisory part-time officer who had been in the service of the department | for some time. Since Dr. Valintine had helped to build up the hospital service of the Dominion anil had an intimate knowledge of the New Zealand hospital system, it was felt that, despite his retirement because of his ! age. he could still render valuable se.r----i vice to the department with his experiI ence. ! Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Reform-Riccar-ton): He will never be consulted. The Minister: Thank you. MENTAL HOSPITAL NURSES Mr. A. E. Anseil (Reform —Glial • mers) asked whether, in view of the. treatment of Dr. Valintine, the department would adopt the same principle of allowance in respect of nurses in ! the Mental Hospitals Department who j wished to join the superannuation fund, but could not. The Minister said, that it was not a question of superannuation. Mr. Anseil said that Dr. Valintine ! had been treated well by the department. but the matron of Seacliff Mental Hospital was unable to have her name placed on the superannuation list. Mr. Stallworthy refused to discuss the question of superannuation at this stage. The salary of £SOO, said Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Labour Christchurch East) was in reality a compassionate allowance to Dr. Valintine. He did not begrudge the doctor that sum and did not feel like voting against it. He asked why, however, Dr. Valintine should be singled out for special consideration which was not extended to other officers of the department. In “he service there were many nurses who retired through ill-health, tho result of breaking down under the 1 strain of the work. They had rendered useful service, and yet what was done for them? They were on the scrap-heap. The case was similar with school-teachers who were nor allowed into the fund. No doubt Dr. Valintine had rendered fine service in the past, but Mr. Armstrong could hardly imagine that the doctor would be consulted in the future. If all retiring officers were treated in the same way lie contended, it would be foolish to contribute to the superannuation fund. ITEM NOT SUPERANNUATION The Minister said that the item was neither superannuation, nor compassionate allowance, nor an ex gratia payment. It was a salary to a parttime officer in the department. Mr. J. O’Brien (Labour —Westland) requested the Minister to consider the cases of seven or eight members of the Mental Hospitals Department who were in a similar position. If the Minister promised to give consideration to those, he would vote against the amendment. Mr. J. Bitcliener (Reform —Waitaki) claimed that it was not a question of superannuation, but of payment for services well rendered to the State. He would vote against the amendment. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Labour —Avon) asked two questions of the Minister: To whom had tho sum of £SOO a year been paid in the past, and for what purpose? The Minister said that the sum was 4

paid to an officer who acted in an advisor; - capacity. The Minister. said Mr. Sullivan, would help his estimates through if ho would get up and state to whom the amount was paid and how often. The Minister: It has been paid for ten years at least. Mr. E. J. Howard (Labour —Christchurch South): Who got it? The Minister: There is more than one part-time officer. r J’he pica of Mr. Sullivan was echoed by Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Reform —Riccarton), who asked why the Minister was not honest and why he did not say that because of Dr. Valintine not joining the superannuation fund the Government was paying him £SOO a year. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. F. G. Smith: You can’t question the Minister’s honesty. “WHOLE PRINCIPLE ERRONEOUS” Mr. Kyle: I’m not. I-Ie continued that he was going to ask the Minister if Dr. H. Jellett were an advisory officer. He was not attacking Dr. Valintine personally, but the whole principle, which was erroneous. Dr. Valintine would never be consulted by the department. Mr. R. Semple (.Labour —Wellington East) said that the delay in getting the estimates through was due to the attitude of the Minister. To the questions of Messrs. O’Brien ,a.nd Sullivan he was just about as responsive as a cargo of frozen mutton. Air. Howard also protested against tho Minister’s lack of frankness. Who. he asked, had received the sum of £SOO in the past? Was it Dr. Valintine? The Minister shook his head. Would ho not treat the House as if all were brothers ? Mr. Howard said lie liked the principle and would like to see it applied to the men sacked at a moment’s notice from the Addington workshops. There was something rotten in the state of Denmark when the House wept over a fellow with £1,200 a year and not about the fellow at the bottom. Mr. Howard said that if necessary the estimates could be held up two days, but the Minister need not worry, for ho would not have the record when the Post and Telegraph Department estimates came up. Regarding the question of mental hospital nurses and the superannuation fund, the Minister said it was not a question of superannuation, but in the same circumstances when any nurse were able to render the unique service that Dr. Valintine had, he would recommend the same treatment. A DELICATE POSITION In respect of the names of the parttime officers, Mr. Stallworthy said he was placed in rather a delicate position. There was a reorganisation of the department going on and final details had not been decided. ITence liis reluctance to mention names. On the understanding that the House would let his estimates through, however he would give them. The part-time advisory officers were Dr. IT. Jellett, consulting obstetrician, and Dr. McGill, of Auckland, who advised on technical questions. Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour—Auckland Central): Is that new? The Minister: No, it isn't. It’s been going on for 20 years or 30 years. Mr. M. J. Savage (Labour—Auckland West) obtained an undertaking from the Minister that he would review the vote of £SOO next year. Mr. Anseil maintained his point about the mental hospital nurses. Mr. P. Fraser (Labour —Wellington Central) pointed out that the amendment related to the reduction of the whole vote and henceforth the discussion was general. When tho division bells finally rang at about 4.40 a.m., members did not press for a division and the amendment was lost on the voices.