THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

Press, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4685, 7 August 1880, Page 3

THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

[By. Tblbgbaph.] [-boh otjb owk cobbbspondbh..] WELLINGTON, August 6. The recommendations of the Government Printing Committee are briefly these:—That all Government printing should go through one hand to the printer, to check, the -.discriminate sending of work to be printed ; that type should not be kept standing longer thnn three months; that the printing cffise should not be made a general convenience of for printing documents of which only a few copies are required for temporary purposes; order papers and forms should be ourtailed in number. A large saving could be effeoted with regard to Parliamentary papers and " Gazettes " circulated to libraries, as in many instances these are not valued. In one instance the secretary of a public institution desired the Government printer to purohatea series of such papers as waste paper. The " Gazette "might be made more remunerative and a charge of £2 per year made to Justices of the Peace requiring it. The wages are not considered too high, but the committee recommend a reduction in overtime. The committee also recommend the presentation of an annual report of the working of the department. The report concludes—" Although not strictly within the soope of our inquiries, we thought it useful to make some cursory Investigation into the printing ordered for the Government through private printing offices in various parts of the colony. We are of opinion that all work which has to bo bo printed in the larger towas should be offered by publio tender, and that the heads of departments should be so directed.'' The substance of the report itself, excepting the recommendations, was telegraphed by mc on Saturday.