HOW THE NATIVE OFFICE IS RUN.

Evening Star, Issue 7266, 18 July 1887, Page 4

HOW THE NATIVE OFFICE IS RUN.

■ ♦ The 'Daily Timeß's' Wellington correspondent sends the following curious information: <—" Several curious stories havo reached me ■showing the peculiar manner in which the Government carry out their alleged retrenchment. In one case a young man was dismissed from a certain department and received retiring compensation of about Ll5O. Subsequently ho applied to be reinstated, and I ara informed that his application was granted, »nd that he has been allowed to retain the •compensation paid him on account of dismissal. Much talk has also been occasi' ned by tto publication of a statement by an officer 'discharged on the score of economy from the Native Department. He says that although he had been twenty-four years in the service he was dismissed, and that immediately two extra clerks were taken on professedly for temporary work. He asserts that since he left, in addition to these two persons three others have been taken on, so that the matter stands thus; An old officer is dispensed with, thus saving L3OO per annum, which fact is telegraphed from one end of the Colony to the other, and five others taken on (which is not telegraphed) whose aggregate salaries amount to L 874 per annum. These salaries aro paid out of a sum of L 7.000 per annum. The Civil list (Native purposes), which amount is voted in a lump, is scarcely known to members, and is in addition to the ordinary Native vote. It is a choice little nestegg, out of which bonuses to a chosen few and suchlike curious payments are made after it has been decided in Cabinet that no increases in salaries are to be given to officers. It is pointed out that Mr Eryce had so far cut down the Isative expenditure, in addition to greatly reducing the Native Estimates, that when he left office there was a sum of about L 2,000 to the credit of this Civil List Fund, and if he had remained in power another year this L 7,000 Civil list would have covered the whole expenditure, and there would have been no Native vote; but now all Mr Bryce's savings have been expended and the pivil list vote extended by about L 2,000, In 1870, during the late Sir Donald M'Lean's so-called extravagant time, when the Native Office was really necessary, and considerably more important work was done than at the present, the total cost of the head office in Wellington was L 1.165 per annum, and four officials did the work. Sir Donald considered that In ten yean from that time (1870) there would be no need of the Native Office at all; but instead of this, at the present moment the cost of the head office in salaries is at the rate of L 3,090 per annum) and fourteen officials are employed, exclusive of a very large amount drawn as travelling allowance by one or two of these officials. The following detailed statement is appended: Dnring the years 1860-70 the Native expend ture was about L 50,000 per annum, and there were forty-six officers under the control of the Department, and the head office, Wellington, cost L1,1(55 per annum; but now, while the total expenditure is less than half, and the number of officers in oat districts, including Native assessors, etc., is reduced to one-third, the cost of the head office is increased to L 3.089 per annum, as the following comparison shows:—ln 1869-70 the head office consisted of four officials: H. Hals? (trader-secretary), L 500; T. Young (interpreter), L 265; S. Vickers (record clerk), L 250; Maitai To Tina (clerk) L1S0; total, L 1.168 per annum. At the present time the following are employed :—T. W. Lewis (under-secretary), L 700; J. W. Morpeth (chief clerk), L 40 0; E. Davies (interpreter), L 35 0; R. Sim (clerk), L 12 0; E. Welch, L 100; T. Pori, L 80; D. Gage, L7O; E. Pratt, L7O; P. Sheridan, L 325 (taken on during the last nine months); \V. Barclay, L 250; T. O'Callaghan, L 156; O. Silcox, L 156; M. Macalister, L 156; Anderson, L 156; total, L 3.059 per annum."