Request For Staff Halt Criticised

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31290, 9 February 1967, Page 3

Request For Staff Halt Criticised

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, February 8.

The request by the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) to Government departments to “avoid making further staff appointments” had all the appearance of a panic move, said the president of the Public Service Association (Mr W. E. B. Tucker).

It could only be hoped that the Government did not see unemployment and hardship for wage and salary earners as a solution to its economic difficulties, he said.

“The most recent report of the State Services Commission, in August, 1966, said that the commission had recently made a comprehensive examination of staff numbers in the public service over a 15-year period. “This showed that the publice service as a percentage of population had fallen from 2.7 per cent to 2.5 per cent. The conclusion was reached that a constantly increasing work load had been placed on the service,” said Mr Tucker. The general secretary of the Post Office Association (Mr I. E. Reddish) said today that the association was seriously concerned at the directive. “The staffing position is al-

ready critical and difficulty is being experienced in maintaining service to the public in many spheres. At the same time a purge has been made on overtime and the public must expect very inferior services if this attitude is retained.”

Mr Reddish said the post office had more than 1400 vacancies, “at a time when the demand for new and better services is exceptional." “It is most disquietening to hear that this decision was taken so soon after the General Election, when the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance were highlighting the ‘era of unprecedented prosperity we are enjoying.’ "The Government must take full responsibility for any deterioration in service, and also because the telephone development programme will have to be seriously retarded,” said Mr Reddish.