PUBLIC SERVICE PILLORIED.

NZ Truth, Issue 477, 8 August 1914, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVICE PILLORIED.

NEMAN'S HIRELINGS HUSTLED.

fXIRAVAGANT EXPENDITURE EXPOSED.

A Courageous Public Servant Speaks his Mind.

"Tonal" Robertson, the Chief Public Service Commissioner, was very communicative the other evening at the Public Service dinner, when he informed the members that, for the past twelve months he had been kept busy dodging bricks from the most unexpected quarters, and "Truth" take.? this opportune . time of heaving a. few more at him, which, it feels confident, he cannot duck or. dodge. The first missile is labelled "Economies" and, as we are always candid m our remarks and sure of our facts m dealing with the important concerns of State, m so far as financial expenditure is concerned, we present "Tonal's" own figures to the public. These should be welcomed, as our readers, outside the pale of the Public Service, have neither the time nor the facilities for wading through that huge jumble called "The Second Report of the Public Service Commissioner." On page 32, Mr. Donald Robertson, "the Chief," gives us a very clear and marked exposition OP THE SCANDALOUS MISSTATEMENTS, . m regard to a staffed and overstaffed service, made against Sir Joe, by Herdman, Fisher and Massey, last election. But "Truth" is always open to shame the Political Devil, so here goes: , The staff, as at April 1, 1913, includ- i ing the general Public Service, NativeSchool Teachers and Post and* Telegraph was 10,256, while, on April 1, 1914, it was 10,969 — an increase m one year of 713 officers. If this does not give tho He direct to Massey and Co., we ask our readers — what will? An increase of 713 officers m an alleged over-staffed service is about the limit m political falsehood and trickery. Tho next question to be answered is, — What is. the increase of- 713 officers costing the country? It is given plainly on the' same page. Here are the fig-, I urcs. On April 1, 1913, the total of salaries which the State ,was called upon to pay, was £1,605;503. ( On April 1; 1914, "the bill for "screws" was placed at £1,741,569— an increase for one year of £ 133,066. This is ''hot stuff" m the practice of economy;, but,* there 'is no gainsaying plain facts and figures. Sir Joe is not m office now, and, why does not th.c howling Tory press of New Zealand- v - DEAL WITH THIS WICKED '.'■■■ FALSEHOOD regarding tho alleged mismanagement and extravagance m; the service during Ward's time, as compared with • tho frankly admitted position of affairs by the Public Service ' Commissioner, on page 3a of his report? Why, the falsehood for which -Ananias was struck dead is a simple' fib compared with tho statements against Ward m 1911, proclaimed m trumpet tones by the Tbry horde. On page 12, Mr. 1 Robertson says: — ■ I think it may be safely said that 'within a couple of years a full annual saving of ' at least £65,000 will be apparent. Poor old "Tonal"! It is only too apparent, on his own showing, that, for tho first year alone, there is an excess of £86,066, while, on Pago 39, he shows> m his column for increases, as at March 31, 1916, that tho grand aggregate of accretions will bo £94,G61. Nuf sed! Let us now 'review the position from the economical standpoint of the Department of which this wonderful and great man, whom the Neroic Herdman trotted out to amazed Now Zeulandcrs as a marvel of .management, had charge for some years. Wo refer to the Post and Telegraph section of the Public Service and its ex-Secretary, "Tonal" Robertson, who is virtually In charge, by reason of his Chief Commlssioncvship. ■ Turning to page 32 of tho report, we find that tho total increhso m salaries for the period, April 1, 1913, to March 31, 1914, wus £53,200. This m what I "Tonal" calls a "normal expansion" m I one Department, tho P. and T., Tor i twelve months. "Truth" shudders to think what an abnormal expansion would be. This is ECONOMY WITH A VENGEANCE. We are quite awaro that "Tonal" is trying to square the yards over the position of the temporary clerks but wo ask — Why were theae made permanent? Wus it not simply because this is election year nnd Muascy needs all tho votes ho can get? Next: tho scandalous position of tho Magistrates supplies another brick to heave at the heads of "Hcrdle" and "Tonal." This is taken us an example as it will, no doubt, apuesil to Herdman, especially. At Nnseby, tho place whoro New Zealand's present Minister of Justice practised n.s a vllljikc lawyer, before he joined his present wealthy partner, the Stipendiary Magistrate, who, by the way, has n. hard ta.sk In preventing himself frotn dying of "enm>r--reeeive.s £700 per annum, which Is tho salary of o»ir locul and busy S.M.. Mr. D. (S. A. Cooper. This £700 per annum is Klven tv country Stipendiary Magistrates, nU over New Zoulnnd, regardless of their fltni'HK suit) tho relative Importance of their work, but, "Tonal" dare not, If he wished, Interfere* with this grouwiuu position. We maintain that the work done by the country magistrates does not warrant this extravagant snlury, but Horrimati, lit his sapience, had It fixed by Statute. Thank goodness these aro the | PAST DYING DAYS 01-' THE ! "REKOUM" CLIQUE. Still, there Is another lump of baked mud handy for hurling. At the Civil Service, dinner aforesaid, Herdman was very laudatory— whether from fulness of heart or fulness of stomach Is not m evidence- the spread was good all i tlic same. He quoted, with the exuberunre of W. S. Percy, tho Dollmaker, In "La Poupec" — "AM my work! Alone I did It! "--an example of "Reform" magnanimity to the effect that, according to section '1$ of the Public Service Act, Juuiors. who uituln 21 years of age. after not lens than ihr<so | years In the service, are entitled to a minimum of £ 100 a year. Astounding, j truly: Why, the New South Wales Ad has for years allowed a minimum of £110 to every male person 21 years of hk<\ lrr"e«|M*ctlve of any time Imr. Moreover, the latter Act pl.icwt a single man with dependents on tho jwrne plum* as si married man, which He^dle's allegedly great "Ucfurm" Act doea noi.

Still another brick! "Tonal" will not allow the candidates for election to the Public Service Appeal Board the privilege of CHOOSING THEIR OWN SCRUTINEERS. ■ ' ■ No! He must keep grip of the situation by appointing two members of his iate department to these positions — the Assistant Postmaster at the G.P.0., and the superintendent o'fx the Telegraph Department, both m Wellington. Imagine the consternation if Joe Ward had the appointing of Herdie's scrutineers at the coming General Election,! The cold, clammy hand of "Tonal" is also discernible m the case of the Appenl Board's sittings. He, alone, lias the fixing of the time and place for. the hearing of an appeal. Are you watching, Tom Wilford? "Truth" can only faintly imagine, what ,. Sir . Robert Stout, or any of the judges of the Court of Appeal, would say if the respondent m a ch.se hfud the fixing of. the time and place ."of, hearing. Be it'understood and emphasised, that the Public Service Commissioner is the respondent m any plaint heard before Appeal Board. ' If \this unheard-of procedure was hot laid down by Handy— -Andy Thomson, then, perhaps, . Solicitor-General Salmond may be able to explain' things. Just here it is necessary, for a" moment, to digress from the subject matter of the report and pay some: attention to the Star-Chamber Board of Appeal— Barr, Richardson, Marryatt, Mouat, Mill and Scully. ' Public 'opinion will not, for long, tolerate the ■ , IN CAMERA' PROCEEDINGS of this, precious tribunaj. Its brazen effrontery, m peremptorily excluding the press "is only .exceeded by tho extraordinary supineness and indifference of the Wellington day-lies m tamely acquiescing m being shut out. We would like to call public attention to the fact that the public foots the bill for all increases of salary, and. that it will demand the same ' open door policy as is m vogue with 'Railway Appeals. A few months should settle the matter. .'» One special brick has been reserved for heaving at the whole Tory caboosh, including the "Rainbow." On page 91 of the clear-as-mud report, we are refreshed by observing the manly, outspoken remarks of one "Head," — those of Mr. P. C. Corliss, of the Stamp Department. These are well worth quoting m full, as he has given his fearless testimony, even at the risk of "incurring the hostility of the whole Tory gang." "Truth" heartily congratulates Mr. Corliss on his candour. "Inter-aJia," referring to No. 1 roport, that of 1913, he says:— - With regard to the report itself, so far as It concerns this Department, mention is made heroin 'that many of tho . ■ METHODS ARE OUT OP DATE. This 'refers to impressed stamps, which tho report states "have m some mysterious way survived." Tho report then goes •' on to suggest a means of doing away with ■ the impressing of- stamps on cheques, receipts, etc. This suggestion has not been acted on, for the reason that it is NOT A DEPARTMENTAL, BUT A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT. It is a MATTER OF POLICY, and it la for tho Legislature to say >if the Stamp Act, under which the duty is imposed, is to be repealed. Frankly, I may say that as administrative head of a revenue Department, I cannot conceive tho suggestion, If acted upon, would result otherwise than m a loss to the revenue which would far outweigh any small saving effected. As regards the Introduction of the automatic stamping machines, they have certainly not been as effective as was expected. Mr. Corliss was evidently referring to machines which ho understood wero m uso m the Government Printing OtHce, and '"Tonal," with the usual "put-your-pot-on" method, Insisted m parenthesis: — The Stamp Department is misinformed. Tho Government Printer, who does the work, states that the machines sire doing their work well, at a large saving m cost of stuff, over tho method of stamping by hand. ■ . Now, "Truth" stated, m its last article, that certain reports ; • WERE "EX-PARTE" AND ONB- % EYED, so it turned to page 99 to sco what the Government Printer had to say about tho machines in< question, and this la what it found: — No machines have been introduced during the current your, though the purchase of one machine was effected. ThiH wub In place of a machine that had been on lonn from another department. The Government Printer does not say whether the aforesaid machine was a washing-machine, a Hewing machine, or an automatic stamping machine, but ho certainly docs not endorse "Tonal's" remarks m parenthesis or comment on the good or bud qualities 'of (ho one muehino Introduced into the Printing OHlcc during the year. It i» simply a vague remark, quite In keeping with tho meaningless Jargon about mechnnlcjil fn-nkincHS which mo largely abounds Jri the mysterlouH document which none of the "Reform" JournnlH have yet touched or dared to comment on. Wo will conclude with the final paragraph m Mr. CorllHK'B roport, made m Justice to hloißelf and the «taff of his department, who have been bo wantonly and ho savagely attacked through their evident refusal to bend the knee to THIS INFERNAL MUDDLEMENT that httH been sprung upon the people of New Zealand without their consent. Mr. Oorlls* winds up his fcarleaa oxpoulilon of ihc crass l«rnoranco displayed by Hcrdlc's three henchmen uncnt tho legal, commercial and ad> mlnlstratlve pauses of his department: — I quite recognise that your circular does not caJl for any general comment on the report frora tm«, but m JunUoe to my department 1 would crave p<-rmisHlon to point out briefly tho nrravo injimlco to tho Stamp Department, by tho fuel that tho Public Service Oomml*.Minncr bus* confined nix remark** almoHt exclusively' to; the comyara-