REPORTED RE-ADJUSTMENTS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13377, 19 March 1909, Page 7

REPORTED RE-ADJUST-MENTS.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELIOBAM.) WELLINGTON, Maroh 18. The "Times" states that tho Tourist ■' Department will be taken, over by the Railways, and controlled by the Chief Traffic Manager, Mr Buxton. Tho Industries and Commerce Department will be separated from the Tourist Department, and merged in the-'Agri-cultural Department, tho head of which will be the Hon. T. Mackenzie. After tho' retirement of Mr .Humphries, JSuryeyor-Genenal, his department will he absorbed by the Lands Department. Tho Prisons Department ' will become "a' branch of the Justice Department. Th& State Fire and Accident Insurance Department wilJ bo "permanently amalgamated with tho Government Life Insurance. In all, fourteen aew departments have been created •iftce 18U1, but most of them will bo readjusted and merged in others.

The Premier was scon yesterday by a representative of "The Press" with respect to the telegraphed statements from tho "Now Zealand Times ,, regarding the merging of certain departments of the Public Service. ( Sir Joseph remarked that tho guessing displayed was most commendable, bat no propositions of the kind mentioned bad been considered by the Cabinet. Same discussion had occurred oH the subject, but no decisions had been arrived at. Where most important interests affecting individuals Were involved, they had to bo approachpi by every member of the Government ?. . recognition of the seriousness of {heir decisions to the people concerned. Consequently whatever was done in the matter would not be done lightly w hurriedly. In tho meantime ho tonld only say that tho statements in tt» Weljington telegram were not cor}e*t« Sir Joseph added that in tho ■ *P eec . n which ho intended to deJffer sometime three or four weeks ((•ace, he would make aji ajinoiinceJenJt on the subject. A meeting of Ojbinct would bo held in "Wellington MM week to further discuss the subject.