RED TAPE AT FEDERAL POST OFFICE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2551, 27 August 1915, Page 9

RED TAPE AT FEDERAL POST OFFICE

THE ONE BRIGHT SPOT

A COMPLIMENT FOR MR. TRIGGS Under tlio heading "A Maze of Bed Tape" appeared a cablo message from Melbourne yesterday disclosing an amazing state'of affairs iu respect to De- . partniontal mismanagement concerning the Fedoral Post and Telegraph service. The report was made by a special commissioner, Mr. iM'C: Anderson/ who is a financial expert; and who has recently hi en disturbing'tho cobwebs in. the Defence Department in Australia. ■ Though the full report was not made available until it was' presented to Parliament, a. precis of its' contents was. published in . Melbourne a few days ago, and a copy has been received in Wellington. It appears, judging from Mr. Anderson's statements, that the central, office uses far too much red tape; that , .though ii>- issues endless 'instructions, care 'is not taken to ensure, that the instructions are properly carried out. The Deputy PostinasterSTGeneral are not allowed either sufficient initiative nor sufficient authority'. Mr. Anderson recommends radical changes in the central administration. These recommenr dations, if Carried out, will enable the lieads of the various branches of the Post Office to administer their separate services without everything being re- 1 ferred, as at present, to the.permanent head. The chief administrative officers would consequently be in direct communication with tho Minister. . Mr. Anderson further recommends, much greater decentralisation than exists at present. In order to effect this change, the State deputies should, he states, be granted larger powers than fhpy now. enjoy. Touching on the finances of the Department, Mr. Andersqtishows that a great deal of .money is wasted at present through lack of coordination in the purchasing and dis- 1 tribution of supplies'. .He recommends that all supplies and stores should bo under one control, both as regards their purchase aiid their distribution, i Approval is expressed by Mr. Andorison of tlio system adopted by the accountancy branch, which lias rendered the preparation of balance-sheets a comparatively easy matter in comparison, with the system' which previously prevailed, tinder the old conditions there was practically no control of stores, neither were "there any stock accounts, and tho consequence was that the greatest: disorder prevailed. Whilst general condemnation is expressed at the management it is interesting to note that' necording to tho fmimciar expert' 3 report, 1 that wliich meets'with approval, i? tho work which Mr. Triggs (at present Assistant Public Service Commissioner in the Dominion, and" formerly of Melbourne) inaugurated and was .engaged upon for two years prior to coming to New Zealand' has recpivcdt tlra commendation that it lias. ■ V