"NOT THEIR FAULT"

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 93, 21 April 1931, Page 8

"NOT THEIR FAULT"

Commenting on the reduction of Public Service salaries, "Onlooker" writes that the Civil servant has his pay reduced when times are bad, though the necessity for reduction may arise from faulty administration, but unlike members of private concerns he is not rewarded ..when times are good. "The present case is somewhat different, of course, as the country has been and is still considerably affected by a world-wide slump, but the slump cannot exonerate the Government altogether. Had proper steps been taken long ago to curtail expenditure, the present unfortunate position would not have arisen, but no, while there is no cry of depression the Government goes serenely on, oblivious to its responsibility in regard to the curtailment of tho cost of its administration and enterprise, which has always been and always will be so long as the Government is concerned, outrageously enormous; but someone cried "depression." Then ensued a stampde. Temporary employees and labourers in the service of the Government were thrown out of their positions in quick succession. Following the lead of the Government, privates business firms reduced their staffs. . . . Such a policy could be nothing but the offspring of a stampeded mind. Is it the fault of the Civil servant himself that the Service is administered, poorly to the extent that it contains several hundreds of surplus employees? Is it his fault that thousands of pounds annually are wasted in inefficient Government' administration? No. . The fault is not his, but he /pays the piper while the politicians call. tho tune. Unfortunately he is so bound as to have no remedies in the matter, and in this respect,' perhaps I might say in this respect only, is Government control efficient." '