PARLIAMENT

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20346, 10 November 1937, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

MORE ESTIMATES PASSED OVER £6,000,000 AUTHORISED ARBITRATION AMENDMENT (By Telegraph.—Special to Times.) WELLINGTON. Wednesday Estimates of departmental expenditure were again discussed by the House of Representatives yesterday. Fourteen classes, for which urgency had been taken at the commencement of thg sitting, were passed before the House adjourned shortly after midnight until to-day. They represented an aggregate vote of £6,429,808. Details of the items approved and the amount of the votes are as follows: Naval Service, £734,797; Army, £550,000: Air Department, £315,000; Post Office Account, £3,392,352; Department of Industries and Commerce, Tourist and Publicity, £355,500; Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, £133.538; Valuation Department. £62.000: State Forests Account, £399,522; Census and Statistics Department, £33,999; Government Accident Insurance Account, £28,990; Public Service Superannuation Fund Account, £8504; State Advances Account, £1869. An effort was made by the Opposition to reduce the State Forest Account by £92,000 as a protest against the entry of the State into the sawmilling industry, but the amendment was lost by 32 votes to 11. Amendment made to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill (No. 2) by the Labour Bills Committee were also reported back to the House. The object of the Bill is to relieve pressure of work on the Arbitration Court. This court and the proposed additional temporary tribunal were to be authorised by the original legislation to delegate their functions other than the hearing of disputes and making of awards to stipendiary magistrates and other prescribed court officials. By an amendment of the committee these officials are to be prevented from acting in any such judicial capacity but the magistrates are to be permitted to exercise any of the functions of the court by express order of the court.

The second reading debate on the Bill will be commenced this afternoon and the third reading of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill will be taken tonight.

RE-GRADING TASK THE CIVIL SERVICE SCOPE FOR HIGHER SALARIES (By Telegraph—Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Tuesday “ The general re-grading of the Public Service has been a task of con - siderable magnitude, but it is now practically completed,” state the Public Service Commissioners, Messrs T. Mark and J. H. Boyes, in their annual report which was presented in the House of Representatives to-day. “It has been necessary for the commissioners and the Public Service inspectors to visit both islands extensively,” the report adds, “ but it can now be said that all officers anxious to place their views before the commissioners personally have had that opportunity. “ The visits to outlying districts have served to remove a feeling that officers in places remote from Wellington are overlooked when promotions and regrading are pending. Although many officers took the opportunity of making personal representations, generally speaking the service was found to be contented.”

Discussing the salaries of public servants the report slates that very few increases in the salaries of administrative officers have been approved during the past few years. The position has been accentuated by the payment of salaries to several recent appointees lo new administrative positions far in excess of those paid to permanent heads of long service and in charge of important departments of State.

When comparison is made with salaries paid to the occupants of managerial positions in outside firms, to executive and professional employees of local bodies, quasi- Government concerns and control boards, it is obvious, the report continues, that the corresponding service rales are relatively low. Jf the Public Service is to bo made attractive to men of capacity :t is all important that the remuneration

of officers exercising important administrative functions should he adequate and commensurate with the duties."