GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 108, 3 November 1900, Page 2

GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir-r-Permit me to make a few comments on a letter which recently appeared in your paper on the above subject, which is full of misstatemenls. First, it is said .that the Department has been, and is hampered by the Gov.ern.ment. If that were so, it could not possibly have grown and increased to its present dimensions and importance in thirty years, and that increase has been greater in the last deoade. than at any former period. In the next paragraph the writer lets the cat out of the bag, and betrays such rancour and venom that it might well , he passed by with silent contempt^ Ho says it is a charitable aid society into which political dead-beats and spies are pitchforked by Ministers ; also, ! that these temporary clerks are men who are totally unfitted for the work. Now, Mr. Editor, I happen to know some of the regular staff, and thorough gentlemen they are too, in the Very fullest sense. I also know some of these despised temporary clerks, and I say without hesitation that the foregoing statements of your, correspondent concerning the latter aore grossly incorrect. The truith. is, that before any temporary clerk is taken- on (even -if recommended by a Minister) he is told most distinctly and unmistakably that he will only be 'taken on trial for a few days, and after that it will solely depend -on his ability to do the wprk whether he is kept on or not ; t^ie principal officers repeat this to him, and certainly would not keep any one on if they -did not wish to. It is very clear that those dabbed "regular Lands" by your correspondent are only a few malcontents ' (such as may be found in any body q{ men) whose views are as selfish and narrow as their own little minds. . Again, it is manifestly unfair to blame the temporary clerks beoaotse all the salaries in the Department were mot raised. Your correspondent says t>hat these regular hands woujd give all detail's of the inner wort ing of the Department to any member of Parliament, etc. Query— Wouldn't they be spies, and how would that do in a private company? Your correspondent should te&rn to obey the golden rule, "Live and let live," instead of exhibiting dislike and hatred to others who are as worthy as himself, and wih» after all are only trying to live honestly in the sight of all men. — I am, etc., ANOTHER POLICY HOLDER. Wellington, 30th October, 1900.