LOCAL BODY WORKERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20827, 20 March 1931, Page 12

LOCAL BODY WORKERS.

PLEA FOR RETENTION.

ENGINEER'S ADVOCACY.

The dismissal of local body employees merely to swell the army of relief workers was deprecated by the waterworks en : gineer of the City Council, Mr. A. D. Mead, last evening in a report to the council upon possible economies in his department. The report stated that owing to certain work drawing to a close it should be possible to save £4700 a year. "It is very much to be regretted," the report stated, "that these reductions involve the dismissal of men, particularly as at present there is little hope of their being reabsorbed in useful labour elsewhere. Dismissals accordingly effect no real economy and may even increase the cost to the community at large. It has been said that relief work on roads, including overhead expenses, is costing over £1 a day per man. A policy of steady pursuance of useful municipal works would appear to be much more advisable than thf transfer of labour to more or less futile relief works. "The proposed 10 per cent, cut in wages and salaries will, if put into effect, save an additional £2BOO, or only 2 per cent, of the total expenditure. This shows how heavy is the incidence of fixed charges r,nd the impossibility of effecting a. substantial saving by 'cuts.' Added to rhe previous figure of £4700, this makes a. total reduction of £7500. On the. other hand there will be increased exchange on interest payments abroad. "A* field of inquiry which appears to hold out some promise of effecting economy in public expenditure would be in the reduction of import duties on certain overprotected lines of materials much' used in municipal works. Among others may be suggested cement, large water mains, water fittings, and rock-drilling and crushing machinery!" Mr. Mend deprecated economies of a trivial, pin-pricking' nature, which would create feelings of grievance. "I have found," he added, "that,, on the whole the- men of the waterworks staff hnva a high sense of duty and loyalty, and a feeling of responsibility for keeping their several sections of the enterpriso running, and this is an asset that cannot be too highly regarded."