LANG’S ECONOMY

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1931, Page 7

LANG’S ECONOMY

CONFERENCE STARTLED HEAVY CUTS IN SALARIES MAXIMUM PAY TO BE £5OO EVEN GOVERNOR INCLUDED SAVE £1,000,000 ON WAGES By Telegraph—Press Assn.—CopyrightRec. 5.5 p.m. Sydney, June 7. A feature of Mr. J. T. Lang’s economy proposals which startled the Premier’s conference during a secret session when plans for reducing Government expenditure by 20 per cent, were being discussed was disclosed by the Treasurer of the New South Wales Government, who said Mr. Lang proposed to conform with the conference’s resolutions relating to the reduction of expenditure by reducing the salaries and payments of every person in the employ of the Government to a maximum of £5OO a year. That included the Governor, the judges, railway commissioners, Auditor-General, Ministers, members of Parliament and those people holding statutory appointments.

Mr. Lang indicated that £1,000,000 would have to be saved on salaries. It was pronosed to take approximately the whole of this from the higher paid officers, but should any further amount be required adjustments might have to be made lower down in the scale. The Governor of New South 'Wales, Sir Philip Game, at present receives £5OOO a year. The salaries of the judges range from the Chief Justice’s £3500 to £1560. The Ministers receive approximately £l5OO. The morning newspapers agree that the prospects of an agreement at the Premiers’ conference are brighter, the atmosphere has improved, and an acceptable plan is in sight.