EXPLANATION NEEDED

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 127, 2 June 1927, Page 8

EXPLANATION NEEDED

(To the Editor.) Sir,—A statement regarding the displacement of Mr. D. C. Bates appeared in your issue of yesterday, which was apparent^ inspired by some authority. The statement, however, .gives no explanation, or answer whatever, to the numerous questions that have been raised on the subject in your columns. It assumes, what has not been stated,.that Mr. Bates is being retired instead of being superseded, and gives an assertion that he has apparently accepted a position as second in the office where he has done so well. This i s 6uve . ly side-stepping, and one suspect that there is much concealed. In vain members of Parliament have asked for a retW °\r ' B T estl OTI- ? D(} il is >yell known that Mr. Bates has had a hard row to hoe for many years, and much official opposition .to contend with. Now when things scientific aro supposed to be brightWh^'t" 8 nu? e anl "Potion suffer. I What the public would like to know are Iht «c- i aC? S< al d whether the action of the officials has the backing of Cabinet'— l am, etc., G. C. STEWART. (To the Editor.) Slr '~I urn interested but nerolexed f?rt a« the Portion of Mr.Pßate B in ffi° *le. te°™l<>gical Offlee. Will you kindly inform mo and many other of your readers situated as I am whether Mr. Bates has been superseded or DISINTERESTED. [The position is that Dr. Kidson has been .appointed Director of the Meteorologicaf Office—a position which has ofyearf Vh M? "--ber or years. Ihe original reorganisation scheme, as we understand itf provided ft?ol«MVf tentxo£ Of.¥. r- Bate's on clim—m] records at his present salary. Another correspondent ("Concerned") 7- n ft T•* -reference t0 the sa"le question, that it is not stated that Mr Bates OonMeS ept *6d tte ? ecottd«y Position! «?«♦»& do ?°.»«"! retain his self-re-spect? From being head of his office he is being put down to do hack-work. Is tL^iS* B?^' f\ ks the correspondent, to recall all that Mr. Bates has done and done wel 1-m spite of lack of equTp ment and official indifference? It is well known that Mr. Bates occupies the first place as a meteorologist in this Dominion, and that in the scientific world this is acknowledged. "Mercury" suggests that the statemi°,ut that Mr. Bates has been "seconded and is to be Government Climatolof?ist merely camouflages the fact that he i,! S ei??u dii& o! scsse^ of his Position as head of the Meteorological service after 2o years' faithful and' efficient service and relegated to the position of a clerk *? will _compile statistics. No charge oi inefficiency is made against him—no charge of any kind has been disclosed. Has the Public Service of New Zealand come to such a state that the head of a service can be deposed without any reasons whatever save the pretext of reorganisation? And Mr. Bates must sufier tins indignity, because not being yet entitled to superannuation, if he resigns, he loses the rights common to every Public servant. The whole mat<?vr morlts the most searching inquiry. Mercury" asks upon whose recommendation the step was taken and what reasons led the authorities to approve. "A wrong is being dono to a widely esteemed official, and those who know his work and capabilities are not going to be put off by such words as 'reorganisation' and 'socondea,' or even the fact that Mr. Bates is to receive his present salary—a clear proof that his ability does not warrant any reduction. No one has said he is being rotired. What aD°»jj the superseding and tfic indignity I of it? .