WAGES REDUCTIONS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18817, 4 March 1931, Page 8

WAGES REDUCTIONS.

BULLER CIVIL SERVICE MEETING. CLAIMS OF UNFAIRNESS. By Telegraph—Press Association WESTPORT, March 3. A meeting of public servants held in the Town Hall unreservedly condemned the Government’s wage and salaiy reduction proposals, which unfairly throws on public servants (one-ninth ox the wage-earning population ot tne Dominion), the responsibility of providing one-third of the total anticipated deficit of £4,000,000, and which makes no pretence whatever of providing equality of sacrifice, either as between wealthy taxpayers and public servants, or as between higher-paid and lower-paid grades of the service itself. , , .. “This meeting further declares that the principle of equality of sacrifice demands that the contributions of individuals towards an effort to balance the Budget in a time of economic depression should be made on a steeply - graduated scale, and lower paid workers . should be wholly exempt from ‘cuts. “Finally, we pledge ourselves to stand by our combined executives in what--1 ever steps they may take in the direc- > tion of opposing the Government s policy as declared by Mr Forbes. We further strongly advise all public servants to support the Labour Party in their honest fight against the proposed reduction in our standard of Uving.” Mr A. E. Holland was present at the meeting by invitation of the public servants and addressed the meeting. SEAMEN’S UNION OBJECTS. By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, March 3. The Seamen’s Union passed a resolution objecting to the proposal Of the Forbes Government to reduce the wages of civil servants, rail way men and public employees; and further, against any power being given to the Arbitration Court to revise wages other than by the present method. In order to resist the threatened reduction, the meeting called up Unions to attend an open conference called by the Alliance of Labour, to agree to a joint plan of campaign to fight the proposed reductions. GRADUATED TAX PREFERRED. By Telegraph—Press Association HAWERA, March 3. A meeting of Hawera members of the Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association passed a resolution protesting emphatically against a ten per cent, reduction in salaries, and assuring the Dominion Executive of support to any action to combat it. The meeting also opined, if a reduction is unavoidable, that it should be in the form of a tax on a graduated scale.