LOCAL AUTHORITY WAGES

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1931, Page 2

LOCAL AUTHORITY WAGES

CONSIDERATION OF REDUCTION.

WAITARA BOROUGH DISCUSSION.

Discussion took place at the monthly meeting of the Waitara Borough Council on the question of the ‘reduction of the wages paid by local authorities. The general opinion of councillors, was that if there were to be any reduction the lead should be given by the Government and any reduction should start with the high-salaried men. The discussion arose from a notification from the Taranaki Local Bodies Association that a special meeting would be held to consider the matter. The Mayor and Mr. Ewens were appointed to attend the meeting. Mr. Ewens remarked that as the council would have only one vote, and there might be a difference' of opinion between himself and the Mayor as to the piopet course to take under existing conditions, it seemed to him that reductions* should not begin with minimum wage men such as theirs in Waitara. He would vote in that direction if he could. there should be no reduction anywhere in workmen’s or civil servants’- wages until the cost of living was' reduced,'and one factor in that direction needed to be pone into—interest on mortgages, which playel a big part in costs. So far as a uniform rate was concerned he did not think that feasible because conditions in various localities differed. The actual rates of wages did not matter so long as values fitted. , . Mr. Spurdie endorsed Mr. Ewens views, savin* that the existing wage was hxed to' meet the cost of living, and there

had been no appreciable drop so far. . The Mayor did not think there wM any fear "of the conference slashing it the wages of the working men. The view would probably be taken that the men with high salaries should ba the first to be reduced, and this contention would probably be forced on the Government, Mr. Wilson pointed out that there was no hope of the cost of living. coming down until wages were dealt with. The question was where a start should bffl made to adjust matters. : 1