THE RETRENCHMENT CRISIS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 484, 17 April 1909, Page 9

THE RETRENCHMENT CRISIS.

: Sir,—At the present moment there : ap-_ : *1" pears, to bo'very great unrest among Govern-" f" ment employees of both high and low' de- T grce, and, .. therefore, - the. sooner the actual ? position respecting , retrenchment ,;can be |r f, made -known ..tlio. bettcr.it I will bo ; for, the JF' service. Prom newspaper reports,, it ap- , , pears that the: heads of Departments have ! been asked to adviso:ori,ffio_effieiency, etc., ':{;, ofrtbe- staffs under their;"Buperjrisi,ou-.V;-W? ' will'be: very well where the».head..of a-De--I,* partnient is in close contact with his clerks, if but as it happens there>aro'men in charge o who personally, know absolutely nothing of. ,'V the merits- of '.the individual members.of their L staffs, .and- will, -therefore, have to judge of ]°" this at secpiid-hand, which may 'be ■ unre- ™ liable. : ■■' '-.';'■' ■:.: ':''/'-" :.-■'; '■■-• ,' $ There are many'pbrsous in the,service who ~e have gained valuable experience in outside ~. businesses, but' who, through lack of the " assistance of the power behind the- throne m : ,arc left to work in a groove pioducing.littlo comparatively of value to .the State or to .-.' theniEclres. ' Tli2so men arc capable of mak- ... irig money-saving suggestions, but, alas! for 'f the State to attempt, such -a v proceeding ■a would meanrepulse, as haß, been proved ; „. more than once..'And mind you, sir... .theg superior officers (?.) -who. talco. umbrago 1( i at such interference are persons who, only a the .other : day, were employed at thenIs occupation' in the category, of ; s mechanic. And-it.'is just, here the Govern- , ment require to make notes. : There are mert '• iii prominent positions, to whom'largo salaries r j are»■ being paid, wh6se training for the con,f duct of: large undertakings has been absot. lutcly nil, m. this respect that ~ they have ii-never had a better example '.of business , 'methods than, they themselves afford;'tho re- '' suit being that.a numerous staff has to-bo '" requisitioned to-perform what -would be, under men of systematic, training, altogether |. unnecessary. If classification were likely to effect a" remedy nothing: more need bo said. '.' Tho pity is, -however, that no better state i' of efficiency can be.looked f,or as the outcome i of'classification. Because, the persons classifying are personally ignorant, in tho greater 1 number of cases, of the individual capacity ..-' ;bf-themen of the Service,,many ; of,whom are "\ engaged on work of a far inferior character to what they would bo alilo to execute were op : j portunity afforded. Tho' only mode of clas- , sification that can bo.pf value: to: tho State ' is;the placing of,tho man capawVof doing " the best wprk in the .position to do it. And if.it is intended to. do'the best for the State, " then no,time service should be considered as ! a claim to a position where ability-is'lacking'. ! It:is to bo feared that in too many cases I of .appointments the' interest'of the State is '[ of secondary consideration to the convenience •' of-'the'appointees.'- '"".'!'-. During the last' twelve years no. such .word as- efficiency could, ■■ warrantable, be ' applied to. the Civil Service. / Because ' havo been', few-men at tho.'head of departliiouts 'sufficiently fearless 't.o' oppose,- and stamp out the insubordination which - has been and Ms rampant to-day. Political influence has been the terror in the path of efficiency and reform. The hope is. expressed that Sir, Joseph Ward may appear as the Horcules ;who will destroy, tho manjvheadod monster.',. ' . : ' ''' It seenis to be an established principle in the Government servico that everything is right until something £oes wrong. In other words.. , there is nothing to bo remedied. Everything goes on in its old .jog-trot" wajv There is no criticism allowed which-might-act as a lubricant to the rusty and 'creaking wheels of this cumbersome and. badly-driven.coach. The whole secret of success in the future conduct of , the Government 'service is 'the -placing of strong men where strong men are most required in positions of. authority. To tho clerk who resents tho oxeroisp of constituted authority an effectual lesson must be taught. Because tho functions of a Department, however largo the staff, can bo disorganised and made ineffective by anyone who is .unamenable to,the authority of his superior. Discipline, means effectiveness. ; A factor in raisin;;; the tone of tho servico would be the appointment of a visiting officer for Wellington, his duties'being to make fro-, qiient and unannounced visits to the various Departments, his authority to extend to the inspection of general character of work performed, as well as to observe tho, conduct of the'staff. ' The meaning of this suggestion is that it _oftcn happens that a long term'of association creates familiarity between an officer and his subordinates, whereby reluctance to tako definite steps in cases requiring prompt and effective grappling, becomes a weakening influence. In conclusion, I would submit that no manof capacity and assiduity, should bo forced, by straining any clausoof.tho Act, to resign while it is possible to cut down any of tho salaries at present received by heads of Departments, and amongst those absorbed surely this will .bo done— l am, etc., • SALATHIEL. April la. ,|