RESTORATION OF CUTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 144, 19 June 1936, Page 8

RESTORATION OF CUTS

RETROSPECTIVE FROM JULY 1 NEXT STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER ( Per Press Association. ) WELLINGTON, June 18. A reply to doubts which have been expressed in certain quarters regarding the Government’s intentions to restore to the full all wages and salary cuts as from July 1, was made ny the Prime Minister to-day. “Legislation will be passed as soon as Parliament meets and it will be retrospective to July 1,” he said. Mr Savage recalled the statement he had made in the House earner this month when he said that during the recess it was the Government’s intention to prepare legislation foi the restoration of the wages cuts. Public Service salary cuts, and pensions as from the beginning of July. “1 said that deliberately so that employers of labour would know what to expect and would not have any reason foi saying that we ‘sprang’ something on them,” he said. It was the Government’s intention to restore all cuts made during the depression, he said, which in effect would bring the wage, salary, find pension level up to that of 1931. “We are pledged to do more than that,” said Mr Savage. “We are pledged to make available to the people the benefit of every increase in production. If that is not done there is no reason for increasing production. It can only be done by increasing incomes for the rank and file of the people—increasing wages, salaries, and pensions. To say we are going to restore the cuts and stop there is not telling the whole story. ’’ Mr Savage said that had there been time, the wage restoration legislation would have been passed before Parliament adjourned. The Government fe’t it was bound to pass the legislation as soon as it could be done. The next best thing was to make it retrespective.