Govt. Employees
p. 28 · Read in the full issue
High Wage Bill For Native
NG Administration Fixes Scale
IN the Papua-New Guinea Gazette of January 25, the approved wage scale for “Administration Servants (that is, native employees of the Administra tion) is published. Monthly wages range from £1 per month for Ist year proba tioners (presumably native employees learning some trade or occupation) to £2O per month for 3rd year Co-operative or not native employees should receive high wages is a matter of personal opinion. However, this enormously in creased wages bill for native Administra tive employees must play some part in turning what were, before the war, vir tually self-supporting Territories into a liability to the Australian taxpayer to the tune of £3 or £4 million.
In the lower income brackets among these natives are Interpreters Grade I at £1 per month; Laundrymen with a maxi mum of £5 per month; messengers and cleaners at £3/10/-. At the top of the tree are foremen mechanics at £lB per month; forestry assistants, maximum at £l7/10/-; laboratory assistants (Agnc.) £l7/10/- max.; Ship’s master, £2O; Super visory teacher, £2O max.
Comparatively few employees are on maximum wages, of course. Average wages are more likely to be £7 or £8 per month.