THE REPATRIATION DEPARTMENT

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 141, 17 June 1922, Page 5

THE REPATRIATION DEPARTMENT

APPRECIATION AND ADMONITION

(Contributed.)

In the Public Accounts for the financial year ended 31et March last, and particularly in the accounts for the concluding quarter of the year, there are encouraging indications of the operation of Mr. Massey's economising activities. The savings are not large in themselves,, but .they represent a beginning in the very necessary work of retrenchment, and. may be accepted as an earnest of the Prime Minister's determination' to redeem his undertakings in this respectBut some difficult problems still lie before the Minister, and in dealing with these he wiW require all the assistance he can obtain from s sober, well-con-sidered public opinion founded-■ on- .a ■knowledge of the facts. Publicity always should be a help in such matters. During the war period and the years following immediately upon the conclusion of peace, the Government found it desirable, even necessary, to create a number of supplementary 01 auxiliary Departments in the Public Service. The existing Department? already were overburdened by additional work arising out of the war conditions, and many of them were carrying on with reduced or less efficient staffs, owing to the contributions they had made in men to the forces in the field. In these circumstances the Government had no choice in the matter. To secure the highest possible .measure of administrative efficiency, to meet the country's obligations to the men ' who had gone to the front, and to satisfy the other needs of tli6 situation, it had to set up these auxiliary Departments. It was never intended, however, that these Departments should become permanent additions to the administrative machinery of the Dominion. This point was made quite clear when the legislation necessary for their creation was .passing through Parliament. But the (prolongation of the war and the importance of the functions they discharged tended to establish them 'in the official mind as institutions that would "ha-VeTto be maintained at least for a number of years. They built up separate spheres and indentities of their own, carried through large operations, and even laid claim to traditions. The Repatriation Department is a case in point, and may be taken as an example. This Department has done a very large amoun* of work, and, on the whole, has done, it very well. According to its latest report itahas assisted 20,723 returned soldiers with loans, 11,78^ with grants, and 27,392 with help towards obtaining employment. All this has been accomplished by an expenditure of £2.224,890, and of this sum £973,180 has been'repaid, leaving an amount of £1.251,710 owing at the end of April last. ""'Thiiibn the face of it ir a very creditable record, though, of course, it remains to- be seen how much of the balance wil) br repaid and what the actual cost of administration has been.

The disturbing feature of the position, however, is an apparent disposition to continue the separate existence of the Department and so saddle it upon the country as a, permanent institution. It was fully expected that all need for a special Department to attend te the needs of returned soldiers ■would cease within two years of the Armistice. But the worid is now well on in the fourth year of peace—so far as the Great War is concerned —and New Zealand still is maintaining the Repatriation Department, -with, much of its original equipment, to perform the duties which the permanent Departments are quite capable of undertaking at a fraction of the present cost and of discharging. with, satisfaction to the returned soldiers and to the community at large. It is understood that representations have been made to this effect, but by some means the Repatriation Department has managed to retain its independent existence, and so delay the realisation of a very necessary economy.

No one wishes to forget the country's sacred obligations to the returned soldiers or to under-rate the good work done by the Eepatriation Department in assisting towards the discharge of this obligation1, but it is beyond all reasonable dispute that this work now could be done equally well by the permanent De■partmentr and at a very largely reduced cost. It is easy to follow the capital expenditure of the Repatriation Department, but precise figures as to its cos*- of administration are not available. It has been estimated, however, that the dis r continuance of the local offices and district committees and the transfer of the whole of the administrative work to the permanent Departments probably would ■result in a saving of many thousands a year. It seems to have been generally recognised for some time past tha f tht need for this special organisation had ceased. More than once it has been announced that the time had arrived- for the division of its duties among the permanent Deipartments capable of discharging them satisfactorily, and now it is reported that steps will be taken in this direction at the,end oi the current month. But, in view of the tenacity and measure 'of success with, which thr Department has dune; to its independent statue and administrative privileges, it seems .highly desirable that public opinion should continue to make itself heard on the subject. To reiterate what already has been said, there is no suggestion that the best interests of the returned'soldiers should be neglected. The country's contract, sx■pressed or implied, must be performed. But neither the returned soldiers nor the general public can benefit by the continuance of unnecessary administrative machinery and the waste it involves. Thoroughly efficient service and. truly, economical administratum are amoncr the iprincinal means by which relief will be brought to the whole community. ' .