THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 497, 3 May 1909, Page 8

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

AMALGAMATION. AND RETRENCH* • .'. ME NT.' , Intho reorganisation of the Publio Sow vice wo have our duty .to perform, unpleasant though it may „bo., ,1 taay say," how« ever, that none of those who wiu be affected will bo ■turned out during the winter,' or in sncli cases ,as retirement irbm tlio sorvico is found necessary they will bo compensated for a period ..'Which; will cover it. .. It has to bo remembered that tlicso mon aro .' < going out through no fault of their own, in .' most cases having done, good and faithful work; hut I am convinced , that it is essential that by .amalgamation and' retrenchment •'wo %' must.relievo " tho expenditure from tho Consolidated Fund to the extent of 1 a quarter of a million per ■ year. The argument doubtless is raised by somo as to why, if it were necessary previously to ' havo numerous Departments which aro now boing merged, they aro not . - being continued now: My answer is that _in . everything tho circumstances and necessity materially alter cases. A great deal of excellent v.ork has been done by . virtually all the Departments that are being; merged, and tho heads of tho Departments know' from ;mo personally; that it is riot' against them, . \ or., against. their'., administration, that- the'.; change: is being brought about, but because - of the fact that tho work of ,tho Depart- , . ments having now .beeri. put'into, praoticalef'" : feet, under tlio.. Acts, governing ;...thomi ,can; , now be carried out'' with oonsiderabjo economy by somo of the'larger Departments to which they have recently been attached, and which can carry on their now duties under the; same-; law. In every'. 1 instanooef- '■ ficicnojc mvat' * ■•' b6 tlio standard that tho' , oombiiicd 11 Department . sets, for. its , work, with . the added responsibility at- •••<• .tached to it. Further, tho changos are boing mado only after: mature'. consideration. ,