CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 440, 24 February 1909, Page 9

CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENTS.

STATEMENT BY THE PREffIER

THOUSANDS OP POUNDS TO BE SAVED. ' ' The Prime Minister. (Sir Joseph Ward) in conversation with a Dominion reporter last .night: 'made?arir-interesting: statement on :the bringing vintd-.joperation;of the ■.age 1 limit; under which all Civil Servants, who have reached the ago of 65 are to-retire on pension ■ or superannuation..; f f*All tho. retirements will tako. effect on March-31 ■ next," said'tho Premier. ■ J "lhoso : will,:bo giveni'ttiree.months' ''.leave ;of absonco from that date." . ;.V

' And will there bo no exceptions? . "None. Wo cannot make ainy distinction.' Many;.of those who. will. retire fare personally , good and competent • men,.-.but .-.'we .cannot :araw; a/line-without , drawing'it the : same for nil. It is never'pleasant'to see old. men who' have served .the country..'well" for ; many, yearsrelieved; of their positions,_ but there'is'no doubt 'ttiat' from tne administrative point of: view the step is necessary-: It : will;make.for. ; efficiency, and economy. Some regard must , also be had to the; reasonable - claims' of those men who staud next- in;- the Service after those "who : have passed thongs limit. If tho r oldor men wero to i continue ; in office those : others -might.-105e,. ; in soino cases, all opporgetting to the top before they themselves reach'-the age limit. Now that the superannuation": scheme' is in would scarcely be right to allow the age limit: to-r'emain'a-dead letter, but'we.are making it 65 years, instead of ;60,: as we might have done under the Act." .

•■ '. Asked i whether ?.the ' operation' of " the --"agS: limit:.would; result'in any considerable saving of -annual vthe Premier < said : it would lead to a saving of many thousands of pounds,. ; - Those who werejiromoted to fill tho places of the retiring officers would not begin with salaries, equal to those of their, predecessors, and in some instances tho offices, to be vacated would not require to be tiled.