H.—l4.

Ist April, 1932 : All salaries and allowances reduced, as under, by the National Expenditure Adjustment Act, 1932 : — (а) Where the rate of salary did not exceed £225 or its equivalent, 5 per cent. : (б) Where the rate of salary exceeded £225 but did not exceed £720 or its equivalent, 10 per cent. : (c) Where the rate exceeded £720 or its equivalent, 12| per cent. Ist April, 1934 : All salaries and allowances increased by 5 per cent, on the passing of the Finance Act (No. 2), 1934. Ist August, 1935 : All salaries and allowances increased by 7-| per cent, on the passing of the Finance Act, 1935. Ist July, 1936: Salaries and allowances restored to the rates in force on 31st March, 1931, by the Finance Act, 1936. From the above it will be seen the Public Service salaries were reduced by from 14| to 21] per cent, on the rates in force at 31st March, 1931, and that more than five years passed before these reductions were restored. From the following table it will be seen that all clerical scales are still below the rates in force in 1920 and 1921 —i.e., the whole of the reductions made in terms of the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act, 1921-22, have never been restored. The scale for the professional division is very little dissimilar. The present cost-of-living figures are, however, below the 1920 level.

Clerical Division.

Salaries of Public Servants. During recent years from time to time attention has been drawn to the fact that salaries of the higher clerical and professional officers are in the opinion of the Commissioners inadequate. In the professional division salaries beyond £715 per annum, and in the clerical division salaries exceeding £765 per annum, require parliamentary appropriation before they can .be paid. From the commencement of the depression it has been practically impossible to secure appropriation for increases in salary for officers coming within the overscale classes. The result of this has been that the relative salary status of various positions has been disturbed. Salaries up to £715 or £765, according to the Division, have in some cases increased without a corresponding increase to those receiving over these amounts. Regrading is much overdue to the officers in these latter classes. Salaries of administrative officers are not determined by the Commissioners, such salaries being subject to provision in the annual estimates of Departments and authorization by Parliament. Remarks made regarding the salaries of the higher clerical and professional officers apply with at least equal force to the salaries of administrative officers. In this connection we would call attention to the following extract from the 1933 report: — The labourer is worthy of his hire, and I feel constrained to express the opinion that the salaries paid, especially to the higher officers, are woefully inadequate. These men have won their positions by preparation, industry, ability, and grit, and while they are loyally accepting the position as it exists at present with a feeling of stoicism, this may give way to an all-round pessimism with resultant loss of morale and efficiency, unless they may reasonably hope for some improvement in the near future.

3

a a a | a a a a , ā —a „s of § o§ êe § i £! "R 1 -+ g r* sa £ ■£ a § fed «a®. g-jj g-a §| HI j l|l 11 §1 §1 || Sg>| Sg| "I _l ill \ H I a ! & I °-g £££££££££££ VII .. 220 270 320 305 295 295 265 239 251 270 295 VI .. 260 300 350 330 320 335 301 271 285 306 335 V 315 350 400 380 370 380 342 308 323 347 380 IV .. 370 400 450 . 430 420 425 382 344 361 389 425 III .. 425 450 500 480 470 470 423 381 400 430 470 II .. 475 500 550 525 515 515 463 417 438 471 515 I .. 600 600 650 625 615 615 553 498 523 562 615 C, Special .. 750 800 775 765 765 688 619 651 699 765