Pensions Department Offices

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 69, 14 December 1932, Page 11

Pensions Department Offices

Sir,— I am glad the question of the unsuitability of the offices of the Pensions Department haw been raised in the House. The main room in the head office occupies some 10,000 square feet and about 80 clerks are employed in this room. It is impossible, except on the finest days, to open enough windows! owing to the draught created in the centre of the room. In parts of the office clerks have to work under artificial light throughout the year. At present one member of the staff is in I’ukeora Sanatorium, another is in Otnki Sanatorium, a third is a suspected T.B. case, and is under observation in hospital; a fourth was recently discharged from Pukeora, a fifth was retired last year on account of ill-health at the comparatively young age. of 2.5, and finally, two years ago tuberculosis caused the death of another member of the staff. Surely it would be fair to give the staff of this department good offices, as there is a big enough danger of contamination from old hoslpital and war records without the additional impost of unhealthy surroundings.—l am, etc., PUKEORA.

[From inquiry made of the Hon. Mr. Cobbe, Minister in Charge of the Pensions Department, it was ascertained' that at the request of the Department an insijjction of the premises was carried out in August last by the Medical Officer of Health, who found that while there was ample air-space for the staff employed, the building had to some extent fallen into disrepair. The matter was considered by the Government Buildings Office Accommodation Board, and it was decided to arrange for lining of the outer walls and subdivision of the main room of the office info three smaller rooms. That work had already been carried out, and the conditions were now regarded as satisfactory. The Minister added that there was no evidence that any case ot pulmonary tuberculosis had been directly due to the working conditions m the office.]