H.—l4

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The following summary illustrates how the temporary staff has been steadily reduced since 1919 : — Total Number Total Annual of Temporary Remuneration. Employees. £ Ist April, 1919 .. .. .. 2,089 284,160 Ist April, 1920 .. .. ..1,455 301,425 Ist April, 1921 .. .. .. 986 213,897 Ist April,'l922 .. .. .. 465 102,637 Ist August, 1922 .. .. .. 434* 92,322* * Excluding persons temporarily employed on electoral work. Adjustment ok Salaries and Variation of the Cost op Living. The following is a review of the adjustment in remuneration paid to officers to meet the variation in the cost of living since 1916 :■ — Up to £315 per annum : — From Ist April, 1916, bonus granted as under : — Per Annum. Married officers and widowers or widows with dependent £ s. d. children under fourteen years of age .. 15 0 0 Single officers and widowers or widows with no children dependent .. .. .. . . 7 10 0 Juveniles (under eighteen years of age) . . . . .. 3 0 0 From Ist April, 1917, bonus renewed as under :• — Married officers and widowers or widows with dependent children under fourteen years of age .. 15 0 0 Single officers and widowers or widows with no children dependent ... .. .. .. 7 10 0 Juveniles (under eighteen years of age) — If living at home .. .. .. ..300 If living away from home.. .. .. .. 710 0 From Ist October, 1918, bonus increased as under : — Married officers and widowers or widows Avith dependent children under fourteen years of age .. 30 0 0 Single officers and widowers or widows with no children dependent .. .. .. .. 15 0 0 Juveniles (under eighteen years of age) — If living at home . . .. .. ..600 If living away from home.. .. .. .. 15 0 0 From Ist April, 1919, a general regrading of the Service was carried out, and the amount previously paid by way of bonus was incorporated with salary. From Ist January, 1920, bonus granted as under : — Up to £500 per annum — Married officers and widowers and others with children or £ s. d. others entirely dependent on them .. .. 15 0 0 Single officers and widowers or widows without dependants 710 0 Ist April, 1920 : Bonus granted Ist January, 1920, dropped, and salaries of all officers increased as follows :— Per Annum. £ s. d. Officers receiving £145 and under . . .. .. 20 0 0 Officers receiving over £145 . . . . . . 50 0 0 When this latter adjustment in remuneration was made there was an understanding that the salary would be adjusted in the event of the cost of living falling. In January, 1922, the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act was passed, the following portion of the recital to which gives an indication of the reason for its introduction :— ' Whereas the rates of remuneration of certain persons employed, whether permanently or temporarily, in the Government Service . . . have from time to time since the first day of April, nineteen hundred and sixteen, been increased, firstly by way of a bonus or grant, and afterwards by way of an increase in the rates of salaries or wages, such increase of remuneration being given partly in respect of special services and partly on account of the increased cost of living due to