RETRENCHMENT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 2 November 1922, Page 5

RETRENCHMENT

"THE UNPLEASANT DUTY."

(By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 1. The Public Service Commissioner gives specific details of the results of retrenchment in his annual report, which opens with reference to the unpleasant duty of the past year. The total reductions in staff, including temporaries, for the, year ended March 31 I was 1093 persons, who- had received j salaries totalling £395,000. The actual reduction in the salaried staff was 572, representing £283,746 in salaries. The commissioner states that the reductions would have, been larger, but for the fact that improved conditions for mentar hospitals staff caused an increase , of £6492 in expenditure, 35 additional j employees .having been appointed. The expansion of the schools dental branch j of the Health Department necessitated | the appointment of a number of trainees, while health inspectors, formerly under local authorities, became members of the public service, their salaries totalling- £284,160; but to-day bodies. Retrenchment was evident among temporary employees. . These numbered 2089 in April, 1919, their salaries totalling 284,160; but to-day their numbers have dropped to 434, involving a salary liability of £92,322. The commissioner states that the first salary cut meant a saving from January 1 of £110,185. 'Counting the salary cut and retrenchment the commissioner shows that £283,746 was saved during the year on permanent staff, whicfi. still totals 6781, involving an expenditure of £1,804,000. STIFFENING UP CONDITIONS. Instead of a probationary period of one year, intending public servants have to serve, two years, and the commissioner states that the heads of departments are making more rigid conditions, with the result that the number of of appointments has increased. It is, he says, much better that individuals' unsuitability for the. public service be discovered early in their career. If young men who are in an unsuitable position pass out of it early in life they probably get into something else, and" perhaps be successful. It is necessary not Only to observe the greatest care in selection, but to provide that public servant tenure ofUoffice shall depend entirely on efficient and meritorious service. The commissioner condemns public servants' participation in active politics, declaring that complete liberty of political pr>t:^rx .would result in frequent, con-, &<■•<■•* between the desires of officers as citizens and their duties as officials. Commenting on the number of cases of dishonesty in the public service which have come to.light, the* commissioner suggests that this condition is not peculiar to the public service, but has been experienced" in commercial institutions usually held tip as patterns of effective organisation and businesslike methods. The legislation requrjes that all cases of defalcations in the service must be the subject of r>rbsecution, whether the amount be large or small or whether restitution is made, while it is a well-known fact that in commercial houses such defalcations are often hushed up.