MR WITHY AND RETRENCHMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 161, 9 July 1888, Page 2

MR WITHY AND RETRENCHMENT.

(To the Editor.) Sik,—l notice in Friday night's Star a letter signed " Mechanic" which tries to discredit Mr Withy with his constituents for his laudable endeavours to bring our State outlay within our income. The letter inclines me to think it is the production of some retrenched railway employee, or one on whom some little share of the proposed saving has to be effected, for it is hard to believe that working men, the majority of whom are not at all fully employed, see any hardship in reducing the pay of their fellow workmen, who are fortunate enough to be in Government service to the current rate at most.

My impressiorf is that in times like the present, if the competitive system were tried, rates considerably under those ruling outside would be the result. The constancy of work would balance a difference of perhaps 25 per cent, in the rate, as from 2 to 4 months' idleness in the year is the rule now. But it is not my present purpose to oxpose the economic absurdities which seem to tickle the public ear, and some of which are expressed in " Mechanic's :> letter, such as the bolstering up by means of the Custom-house, etc.—an inflation that has made the colony almost bankrupt, and to a large extent demoralised the people, so that when a few sensible men with the courage of their opinions set about remedying or trying to remedy some of our extravagance, they are dubbed a " Skinflint Committee." But as a constituent of Mr Withy I say " more power to you," especially in the matter of cutting down salaries or perhaps having the offices open tor competition both as regardb salary and fitness for the work. There would then be an end to family preferment and all those nice little social arrangements so agreeable to the Civil Service.—lam, etc.-, E.M.