Suggested Economies

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 149, 20 March 1931, Page 11

Suggested Economies

Sir, —Air. Forbes is determined to make a 10 per cent, cut on wages, but we have not seen the various commissioners make the same offer as his Excellency the Gov-ernor-General did. Why should these officials sot speak up when their country is in financial danger? The pruning-knife could well be applied to several departments. Why not abolish the Immigration Department, the Forestry Department, and the Transport Department? Then, again, is a Public Service Commissioner necessary? Why not combine the Secretaries of Native Affairs with the Cook Islands, or run them by the External Affairs Department? The Government Insurances could be combined instead of having three branches —life, fire, and National Provident. The Census Department eould gather all the statistics on the transport question. The local health officers could supervise the inspections of hospitals and private hospitals, and so accomplish a saving. Then, also, why not combine the inspecting accountant and inspecting house manager? The public hygiene and the school hygiene could also be combined, and the technical inspectors abolished. In other words, the head office only needs a director and one assistant.

The stunt of commercialising the departments has been responsible for the great increase of staffs. In one department in Wellington it increased the staff from three to eleven. These departments only get so much to spend, and that is the end of it —so why the need of introducing double entry and annual inspections for valuation of government buildings, etc.? The reorganisation of the railway workshops has resulted in every labourer having three bosses over him—-a similar condition to a South American republic, where there arc a dozen generals for every soldier.

Another economy that, could be effected is the restricted use of Government motorcars. While many of the lorries are registered as Government, there are a number of sedans at the call of the head officials and politicians, and are often to be seen driving with ladies only in. These cars arc even sent on shopping errands by their household staff. Then, there is the education staff—clerical—which is overloaded, and should be severely pruned of inspectors and officers of all descriptions. The same applies to the Prison Department.—l am. etc., EX-CIVIL SERVANT. Wellington, Alarch 12.