GOVERNMENT INSPECTORS.

Evening Star, Issue 23511, 27 February 1940, Page 3

GOVERNMENT INSPECTORS.

TO THE EPITOB. Sir, —Allow mo to protest against the redundancy of Government inspectors in this country, allegedly working, but whose services are in reality unnecessary and undoubtedly a tremendous cost to those members of the community who. through the imposition of taxes by the present are forced to keep them. These enlightened gentlemen lead a life of luxurious ease, taking a leisurely stroll around the city and occasionally making their presence known in our various establishments for the purpose of impugning the honesty of the owner or manager. Incidentally, I know of a shop which is run by one man in a comparatively out-of-the-way part of the city,

which is visited regularly by three unnecessary inspectors. One wonders how the larger businesses manage to do any work at all Admittedly there are inspectors who are an asset .and who do carry out their work, but these are in a decided minority Recently I brought this point up while in conversation with' an Englishman who has travelled widely and resided for some time in several parts of the world; He stated emphatically that New Zealand has far more inspectors per head of the population than any other land, a charac-teristic—-if it is a, characteristic, for only in the past five years has it been so—whose merit is indeed extremely doubtful. I am sure that until very little trouble these men could be employed in positions in which they would be more use to the country in time of war than they are at the present moment. —I am. etc.. Harassed, February 26.