Violent Reaction by P-NG Public

Canberra Rejection of Claims Causes Violent Reaction by P-NG Public Service to Cost-of-Living Decision

One of the biggest Territory storms in years has been touched off by the Commonwealth Government’s announcement of the results of the inquiry into Territory Public Service hours and wages.

P. Moresby, Feb. 7.

IHE inquiry was made last year . by a Conciliation Committee especially appointed by Terri fies Minister Hasluck, following sistent Public Service complaints at they were handicapped by hav g the Territory cost-of-living ;ure based on Commonwealth jures, which did not apply to ‘rritory conditions.

At the same time the Public Ser ;e asked that they be allowed to >rk a five-day week, no Satur ys; so both matters were taken jether.

Chairman of the inquiry was Mr.

Chambers, a Commonwealth Con iation Commissioner, assisted by ’. L. Butler, a Territory Public rvice inspector, and Mr. R. rnnan, the president of the Papua w Guinea Public Service Associa te rhe committee completed its re •t in December, after hearing 190 nesses in many parts of the Ter )ry. It also had informal dis isions with at least another 100 >ple. ’he results of the inquiry have n awaited throughout the Terri -- It was generally accepted that report would give a substantial rease in the cost-of-living pay tits, at present fixed at £l9B for named man. ; ut, what a shock! When the re ;s were announced in Port fesby last week, this was the •e: There was no increase in the

--of-living payment.

There was no five-day week.

There was no increase in the d allowance.

There was an increase of £3O a

r uP Education allowance

Stable to parents with children chool in Australia).

There was a figure of £1,045 a a s a base salary for a w^e > an d those with tnat minimum were to get it ’ there were not too many who not already have it!). And se - S!n e . was a minimum base ry of £945 for single officers (and same applied;).

There was no provision made “5® Government for periodical of cost of living, or for effec pnce-control machinery. The cost-of-living was still ea a t the Commonwealth figure.

r THAT was the result of the cost of-living inquiry, which had taken up the time of three men for so long.

P. MORESBY, Feh. 9: PSA Council decided yesterday to take its case on salaries before Arbitration Court immediately. Case for 5-days week will not be taken to Court at pre sent.

However, simultaneously with the Government’s decision on the cost of-hvmg report, came the announce ment that marginal increases granted provisionally to Common wealth Public Servants in Australia would apply also to Territory public servants, as from December 16, 1955.

The increases vary, but a married man on a base salary of £620, which is above the average salary, will get an increase of £72 a year.

“Simultaneously,” perhaps is not the nght word. The announcement of the marginal increases was made on the same prepared statement 'prepared in Canberra) which told the Association of the results of the cost of living inquiry.

The statement was headed- “A report of the committee established

to inquire into certain matters affecting the Public Service A summary of the decisions,”

First thing listed was the increase in salary rates. At first (and even second) glance it appeared as though the increases listed were the result of the cost-of-living inquiry, hut this was not so. For the most part they were the result of the marginal increases granted to the Commonwealth.

THE reaction of the Public Service Association to all this was violent.

The Council met urgently the afternoon of the announcement and later issued a statement, accusing the Minister of attempting to hood wink the Administration officers. It said the Association had been offered practically nothing more than marginal increases that were mem bers’ due in any case.

The only benefits received were an increase of £3O in the Education Allowance (the committee had re commended at least £B5), and small increases for some officers, to bring them into line with what had been fixed as a minimum wage.

The Association said Mr. Hasluck had shown his “complete disregard for the future of the Service” and said recruiting must suffer.

It said Mr. Hasluck had not taken any notice of the Association’s appeal to take increased electricity charges into acount (these had occurred after the inquiry had ended) and pointed out that a man who had a base salary of £572 re ceived an increase of £36 a year of which £26 was taken up with the increases in electricity.

The Association’s bitter statement said that it had been hoped that a goqd deal of the discontent in the Service would have disappeared following the report, and that a

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measure of confidence in Mr.

Hasluck and the Commonwealth Government would have been re stored.

It had accepted conciliation “in good faith,” it said, but Mr. Hasluck “had once again let his Territory

Public Service down completely.”

Points from Commission

Report

GENERAL: After taking into account all living costs, including native labour, holiday clothes and entertainment, the committee recommended £1,045 as the annual cost-of-living figure for a man wife unit.

PRICE CONTROL: The committee urged that measures be taken to avoid exploita tion of the consumer; consumers were literally at the mercy of traders; the Commonwealth Statistician should regu larly observe price variations in the future, so as to avoid the problems of the past.

NATIVE LABOUR: The committee based the cost of cash wages for native domestic labour on £l/3/10, as average. In places (notably Lae) many officers had two servants, because they were cheaper and because one servant could not cope with the work in the sub-standard housing made available.

FOOD AND GROCERIES prices were based on retail prices in October-

November, 1954, but there had been a 10 per cent, rise in sea freights and a sharp rise in meat prices in Port Moresby since. In Rabaul, “it would appear that traders were enjoying a high percentage of profit not merited by the difference in freight rates”.

ACCOMMODATION: The committee said it found married officers living under deplorable conditions which prejudiced their outlook and set an unfortunate example to the natives. Dissatisfaction was caused by comparisons between the Territory service, the Commonwealth service and private enterprise, with the Territorial officers having inferior accom modation. Working conditions were bad in some places, and provision of hospitals was insufficient.

Education Allowance: Officers

obliged to send their children to school in Australia were faced with financial commitments beyond their purses. The Administration should provide £3OO to wards annual cost of secondary education in Australia.

SPREAD OF HOURS: A five-days work ing week should be given a trial in the main centres—many sections could work a five-days week without loss of efficiency or additional public expenditure; but essential services would have to be main tained. The Planters’ Association had opposed the five-days week, principally because it would affect natives, but this seemed to be a problem for the future.

RECRUITING: The recruiting pro gramme was in arrears—it was not so much a matter of getting more staff as of retaining present staff. Some exchange system should be organised to allow officers to get outside experience, so they would not feel they were going stale.

Retrospectivity: The Psa Reqi

for retrospective payments, so officers could make ud their bank balai and consolidate themselves, and re run-down clothing supplies, should noc considered. Inquiries from banks from officers themselves showed tha high proportion of officers were financ: embarrassed, due to inadequate inconi