THE GOVERNMENT AND RETRENCHMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 477, 8 April 1909, Page 9

THE GOVERNMENT AND RETRENCHMENT.

Sir,—Seeing that this Government rnised the salaries of all the higher officials by aboiit 40 per cent., when we were enjoying a prosperous (?) time, would it not be morehumane to reduce tho salaries of all Government officials in receipt of £300 per annum, and upwards, and find them employhienfc, rather than "put off" tho poor, underpaid messenger and casual clerk. Or, bet» tor still, let the Premier prove his sterling worth by cutting just a few hundreds of pounds oft his own fat salary, and those of his Ministers, which, with a 245. in tho pound subsidy, would buy tho Old Country a war canoe. Tho lato Sir Harry Atkinson, who posed as a Conservative, reduced his salary of £1750 per annum by £750, and also reduced the Salaries of the Civil Servants, but they were not treated as shuttlecocks by tho then' Premier. Had Sir Joseph acted "fairly and squarely, he would have notified the persons aifected by his schefno of retrenchment and superannuation, prior to the General Election. ' In my opinion, his methods aro those of a political shuffler, and ho has followed the slap-dash extravagance commenced by tho late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon. Is it any wonder that retrenchment is tho order of the day, seeing that in 16 years, Up to November ID, 1003, this Dominion has borrowed £25,000,000, and of this huge sum about £10,000,000 has gone in unproductive works —the scattering of this latter sum, no doubt, bought many votes, and made Secure the Government's position. Tho sincerity of this Government towards Wellington in particular was demonstrated by tho nfctibn taken to block the Bill providing for the purchase of Miramar by the citizens of Wellington. I, for ono, hope that a petition will bo presented to the Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward, etc., asking him to resign his position, and would most readily, attach my name thereto. Trusting that yoti will insert this letter, and thanking you in anticipation therefor,—l am, etc., "MARNOUGHT."