WAR BONUS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11731, 22 June 1916, Page 5

WAR BONUS.

TO RAILWAY SERVICE A MINISTERIAL EXPLANATION. The Minister of Railways, the Hon W. IT Herries, explained to a "Post" reporter in < Wellington on Mouday that in oiddition to the war bonus of Is a day, which was given recently to the Second Division of the Railway Service, it is now proposed to give to members of the First Division a bonus of £ls a year to married men and £7 10s to single men whost present salaries do not exceed £315 per annum. This bonus will apply to grades 10, 9, 8 7; salaries in the seventh grade r..iige from £265 to £315 per annum, and there are only about 160 men concerned, of whom many are still far short of the maximum salary. A large number of men are practically at the highest maximum they will ever obtain. The grade represents a convenient break to the x Department. Many of the men in that position have been promoted from the Second IKvision, so that they .are in every respect entitled to the proposed increase. The Minister further pointed out that the maximum salary in grade 8 is £265 a year. If the war bonus of £ls a year stopped there, the men at the top of grade 8 would be getting £275, whereas the men at the bottom of grade V would get £265 a year. It would, therefore, not pay a man to take promotion. The salaries in grade 8 range from £230 to £260, and these in grade 9 from £125 to £220. Grade 10 is composed of cadets whose salaries range from £SO to £llO. They will receive a bonus of £7 10s a year. The increases to both divisions will probably run into £IBO,OOO a year.