COST OF PUBLIC SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17845, 28 July 1921, Page 6

COST OF PUBLIC SERVICE

GREAT INCREASE IN STAFFS.

POWERFUL POLITICAL FORCE '

PUBLIC DEMAND FOR REFORM

A strong protest against increasing the number of Civil servants was made bv Mr. G. W. Leadley, president of tha

New Zealand Fanners' Union, ■when ad. dressing the annual conference of delegates in Wellington " Anyone who has taken the slightest interest in public affairs knows that during recent years the number of persons in the employ of the State has greatly increased," he said. " The muitipUcatioa of departments and the staffing of these departments absorb a great deal of money. It is doubtful whether we ar« receiving value for this expenditure. To begin at the top, we have too much legislation and too many legislators. For such a comparatively small population, it seems ridiculous thai we should have 123 gentlemen sitting in for several months each year grinding out Acts of Parliament, many of which are hardly ever heard of afterwards. If we could grow wheat on the same scaJe as we grow Acts of Parliament, we should hav e a large surplus of a ve,rv valuable commodity. The pity of it is that our Acts of Parliament cannot be exported for foreign use. " So far as our Civil Service is concerned, the plain English of the position is that we are gradually building up a solid and permanent structrj-e, whoss weight and whose influence through themselves and their dependants and coanettions will be so powerful that they will be able fo resist all attempts at reduction or reform in number or status or cost. Let any ambitious or reckless politician even now lead a crusade against the existing order of things, in so far as the great multiplication of State employees is concerned, and the increase in State expenditure in this regard, and what would be his fate?—annihilation, swift and utter—political annihilation I mean. " If there is to be any reform, it must come from without, and I am glad to see that there is a very strong body of

public opinion fornv'ug on this question To expect that reform, trenchant reform adequate reform, will come from anj other source than by public opinion—i mean taxpayers' opinion—is to expec; too much. There must come from th< £reat body of the taxpaying public a strong and insistent demand for fewer State officers and a sternly reduced expenditure ; and this, I believe, can b» dono without materiaUy affecting. th» efficiency of the service."

"USELESS PUBLIC OFFICIALS." DISCUSSION BY CONFERENCE. [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Remits urging Government economy iffl view of the present financial stringency, were moved at the Dominion Farmers' conference to-day. Mr. Macpherson (Oamaru) said the time had come for reasonable economy and it was the duty of the Government to reduce its great expenditure. Mr. G. Sheat (Dunsandel) said these were difficult times. Ths period was one of reconstruction. There was a burden to be borne, and the" farmers were content to stand their share of it. They were"entitled to ask the Government however to use the pruning knife in the Civil Service. The • Government should begin with its own salaries, which were increased last session. Useless publio officials ought to be despatched from the service and sent on the land. A delegate remarked that it would ba no great credit if Members of Parliament reduced their salaries by 10 per cent, seeing that they increased them by 60 per cent. Mr. F. Colbeek (Auckland) said expenditure would have to be reduced rpgardless" of the feelings of thoso who might lose their jobs. The cost of s prodnction could not come down until wages came down. The Government should give & lead.

After further discussion remits urging Government economy were carried.