THE PLAGUE OF OFFICIALS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15955, 17 July 1917, Page 3

THE PLAGUE OF OFFICIALS.

TO TUB EDITOR OF "rttK TRESS." Sir.—The extraordinary growth of the Civil Service, especially in Great Britain, appears to have attracted very little attention here, and I was glad to road your article in this morning's issuo on the subject. Perhaps it. is thought that there is little danger of the same thing happening here, but nevertheless the danger is a real one. Already there have been established, sinco the war, what are, apparently, branches of existing Government .Departments, but that at;, endeavour will ultimately be made to inflate the ne.cessity for such brandies, and c-rect them into separate .Departments, goes without saying. It is the interest of every departmental head to insist on the paramount importance of his Department's work, and, what is worse, our politicians seem to gauge the importance of each Department by the size of the staif it employs. Without intending any disresptscfc to any Civil Servant, it should be pointed out that, in general, the CiTil Service produces nothing of value, nor does it add anything to the- value of w hat other people" produce. It is really lilco a parasitic growth, feeding on tJie general productive industry of any country, and therefore care should be taken to keep its growth within strictly necessary limits. At a rough guess, one person in ever?" nine in New Zealand is working solely for the maintenance of a. Civil Servant- or his dependants.— Yours, etc.. CIVILITY. Christ-church, July lGth.