"ARMY OF OFFICIALS."
RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE. INDUSTRY AFFECTED. EMPLOYER'S STRONG PROTEST. "The present policy of the Government in further increasing the tax burdens of the whole community will have a seriuos effect on the industries of the country, which are already so heavily taxed, and will be the means 'of increasing unemployment," said Mr. Albert Spencer, president of the Auckland Provincial ' Employers' Association, at the annual meeting this afternoon. "The Government should make a real effort to reduce Departmental expenditure and set its face acrainst further increasing the staff, as it°is fully recognised that many of the Government Departments are already over-staffed. . *'The army of Government ofncials running about the country and cities has almost readied a public scandal. This is most noticeable in, the larger towns. There are so many restrictions, some of them petty, some grotesque, which harass tho business community out of all reason, requiring an army of officials and inspectors to see that these restrictions are carried out; in fact, our industries are considerably hampered by ridiculous and unreasonable- demands from these armies of Government officials, who represent different Departments, forcing up the production costs on all commercial enterprises."
"'The whole country from ono end of New Zealand to the other is paying huge sums of money on commissions here and commissions there; some special, some Royal, some ridiculous, all costing money and a drain on the finances of the country, and the results —nothing. The whole community is suffering, and the country is riddled by silly laws and regulations; business enterprise is stifled and hampered; unemployment is forced on the country, whilst wasteful, reckless and extravagant departments have full sway, regardless of employers and employed.
"The financial position of the superannuation department is an example of reckless disregard of public funds. Public servants are paid huge salaries for a few years, then retire—some on a pension of £2000 per annum, and others in proportion. Huge sums of money are filched from the Consolidated Funds to make up the deficiency, which becomes a continual burden on the taxpayers; in fact, we are fast drifting to a financial chaos like Australia.
"When times are prosperous wages are not the main consideration, but the conditions demanded by the labour unions and granted by the Arbitration Court become a real factor in increasing the overhead expense and forcing up production costs, which become (luring bad times a financial burden. The time has arrived for a full stocktaking, in view, of the falling prices in our primary industries, when competition amongst business linns has reached that! stage when profits have almost disappeared. It is time that conditions of employment should be reviewed and a more stable basis reached to meet the economic position."
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Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 215, 11 September 1930, Page 8
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453"ARMY OF OFFICIALS." Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 215, 11 September 1930, Page 8
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