RISE RETROSPECTIVE

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1935, Page 4

RISE RETROSPECTIVE

CIVIL SERVANTS’ WAGES

RESTORATION AS FROM AUGUST 1.

PROVISIONS OF FINANCE BILL. PENSIONS TO BE RECONSIDERED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The increase of 7| ’per cent, in the salaries and wages of public servants announced in this year’s Budget by the Minister of Finance, Mr. J. G. Coates, is made payable from August 1 by the Finance Bill introduced in the House of Representatives to-night. The Bill will probably pass through all its stages in the House to-morrow so that current salaries may be paid on the new basis. Old-age pensions, widows’ pensions, miners’ pensions and war pensions are restored to the rates ruling before the National Expenditure Adjustment Act came into operation and these increases are also made applicable from August 1. The Bill also authorises the payment of amounts not exceeding £200,000 from the Consolidated Fund into the public service superannuation fund, the teachers’ superannuation fund and the Government railways superannuation fund. These amounts are in addition to any other moneys payable out of the Consolidated Fund into any of these funds. Provision for the Government subsidy of 12J per cent, on rural rates is contained in the Bill. The subsidy will be paid to all counties, all town boards and also given on all rates collected by the Valuer-General where there are no contributory local authorities. This subsidy is on the same basis as that granted last y When the Bill was introduced Mr. A. M. Samuel (Independent, Thames) asked if the Bill corrected the anomaly regarding miners and widows’ pensions. Some widows were being granted a pension for two years while others received a pension during widowhood. Mr. Coates said that the pensions matter would be considered by Cabinet tomorrow and, if Cabinet agreed to . act, it would be a matter of a clause in a later Bill. The Bill was read a first time.