SALARY REDUCTIONS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18818, 5 March 1931, Page 7

SALARY REDUCTIONS.

TEACHERS WILL SHARE SACRIFICE. By Teleeraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, March 4. A statement has been issued by the New Zealand Federation of Teachers in reference to the proposed salary reductions. The Federation proposes to ask the Government that any reductions should be made for one year only. The statement is made by T. M. Renner, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Federation. He says he has no doubt that most teachers regard some sacrifice is inevitable, and are prepared to shoulder a fair share of the burden, but they would be prepared to regard a reduction in their pay with a certain amount of equanimity if they were assured that the reduction would be only temporary, and that after twelve months, if the country’s return to prosperity warranted it, the existing scale of salaries would again be brought into operation. Mr Renner states that the Federation intends to submit the following resolution to the Minister of Education:—“That the Standing Committee of the New Zealand Federation of Teachers recognises the obligation of teachers to assist the Prime Minister and Cabinet in their efforts to ensure the financial stability of New Zealand: that any reduction made in the salaries of teachers shall be regarded as a temporary measure for one year only; and that after Ist April, 1932, if th« financial outlook has improved, teachers’ salaries shall be paid in accordance with the scale now in force.”

QUESTION OF RETIRING ALLOWANCES.

By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, March 4. Some consternation has been felt on the part of civil servants, especially those due to retire in the course of a few years, on account of the possibility of their retiring allowances being reduced as a result of a ten per cent, cut in salaries. This question was mentioned to the Prime Minister when he was asked if the Government intended to make any provision to meet the case. Mr Forbes replied that the Government had no desire to cause hardship, and it was quite possible that provision would be made to permit of civil servants retiring on their normal allowances. The matter was being investigated, and any necessary provision in respect of it would be included in legislation that would be introduced at the special session. GOVERNMENT WILL SEE IT THROUGH. REDUCED COSTS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, March 4. “I am very disappointed at the attitude some trade union leaders have taken up over the proposals of the Government,” said the Hon. G. W. Forbes to a reporter. “It does not seem ta be realised that the only solution of the present difficulty is to reduce costs, and that the only way this can be done equitably is to make an all-round reduction in money wages. I am quite convinced that the action of the Government in reducing wages will be followed by an all-round reduction in the cost of living, and that in the final result the worker will be no worse off than at present. At the same the position of the country will have improved considerably owing to reduction of costs, and the worker will receive the full benefit of that improvement. Trades unions who are complaining do not seem to realise that fact.”

Mr Forbes’s attention was drawn to a complaint by the secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, that the Public Works Department had already intimated that rates of pay would be reduced as from April xst, and that the Government had no right to make such an announcement until the matter had been dealt with by Parliament.

“The position of the country is such,” said Mr Forbes, “that it is absolutely essential that the reduction should come into force at the earliest possible moment. Eeither wages must be reduced on public works, or men must be put off, and the Government has no desire to put men off where it can be avoided.” He had called Parliament together to deal with the position on March 11th, and so far as the Government was concerned, there was absolutely no reason why the session should not conclude within three weeks. “If it goes longer it will not be the fault of the Government, but if it does the Government is determined that it will not allow anything in the nature of organised opposition to stand in its way of putting into effect the measures it considers necessary in the interests of the country. We have made up our minds as to what is necessary, and we will see it through.”