A WAR BONUS

NZ Truth, Issue 583, 19 August 1916, Page 5

A WAR BONUS

PAID TO THE PUBLIC SERVANTS

HOW THE BIG GUNS HAVE FARED

In Comparison with the Underlings.

Who it Responsible lor the Unfair Distinction Shown?

When the Public Service Commissioners were attacked m Parliament towards the conclusion of the recent session, It was not unnatural that the Hon. A L. Herdman (who, when m opposition, was a great advocate of Public Service Reform, and who, when he attained power, saw to It that his scheme, moulded on those m vogue m the Australian States, was given the force of law, the result being the establishment of the "Holy Trinity," a trio of well-paid Publio Service Commissioners) should defend with all hiß ability the system which he had' sponsored. The honorable gentleman met the attack by an attack, or counter-attack-He not only defended the Public Service Commissioners, but he attacked what he considered to the Public Service cliques, and deprecated the tactics of the Publio Servants m inviting the Commissioners to their annual "spreads," and whllo m the positions of hosts to launch an attack on their guests. The Minister further said that the time had arrived or .was about to arrive when tho question to be considered was whether the Publio Service was to run the country, or the country run the Public Service, m other words, whether the Public Servants of New Zealand were to be permitted to establish a bureaucracy, aSORT OF SACROSANCT ESTABLISHMENT which was to be above Parliament, and the people through Parliament. Now, needless to remark, the people of this Dominion will be ono with Mr. Herdman m squelching any attempt on the part of any clique or coterie of Publio Servants setting themselves up above the people. We do no v t want m Now Zealand a close corporation of highlypaid Public Servants who believe themI selves to be not tho servants but the masters of the community, but the question has also to be considered whether Mr. Herdman was Justified In his counter-attack, m which he suggested that the Publlo Service of the country was endeavoring to sot itself up above tho people. If Mr, Herdman was so Justified then it is due to the people of this country that he should fully explain the position. There is not the slightest posslblo doubt whatever that there are cliques

Where tho boodle-bagging Yank with his stung and brummy bank Showed tho wonders of the-world to ull tho wealthy; Our Commissioner was there 'mid tho pyrotechnic glare, And ho watched Now Zealand goods with glance so stealthily. He was Just tho man for us, with no bother and no fuss, He advertised our greenstone and our kauri, Ho astounded Yankee fako with tho things that we can make And they'ro talking Maori now from 'Frisco to Missouri.

Reform Party witlr its "Holy Trinity" Idea has worked tho oracle. It is one thing to reform the Public Service by appointing three highly-paid Commissioners, who themselves have practically set themselves up above people and Parliament Furthermore, if CLIQUES AND COTERIES EXIST, if the bureaucratic tendency prevails, It is more likely to be found m the circles of the big men, the big-salaried officers. They are on good wickets, there is full and plenty for them, but m the lower strata, there is nothing but growls, grumbles and discontent, accentuated by the fact that all reform of the Public Service aims at the man with a salary of £200 per year or under. He is made to feel that the Holy Triumvirate has power, but it is not yet established that the Commissioners have exercised their authority on the "big-guns," or even earned their respect. If cliques and coteries are to be found m the Publlo Service, it occurs to "Truth" that Mr. Herdman will havo little difficulty In ocating them, and if Mr. Herdman v ?? n °" th « Point of ascertaining whether New Zealand is to be run by these cliques, or is to run these cliques, why^ then, the public will be does Hei ' a «»an m anything he Now, towards the closing hours of P.? u5 aeasioa of Parliament, a considerable sum of money was allocated ;°Mr ° Purpose of paying war bonuses to the Public Service of the Dominion, and very rightly Radical and Labor members of Parliament questioned whether Jn view of tho increased taxation which has to be borne by the community, there was ANY JUSTIFICATION FOR THE BONUSES. However, Parliament assented to the allocation of tho public funds for the purpose m question, and it has happoned that the bonuses aro being distributed, or are about to be distrlSXEJh. A And . connection with the distribution of tho bonuses m, question a howl has gone up from the übderSSL °L th v. PubUo Service which, when all thlngu aro „ considered, is R? l ws?' WW Tn ? nvorage bonus to bo distributed amounts to £15 for «'? "J*""'** man with a family, and £7 10s for the single man. No doubt considerable difficulty is being experienced m olasslfylng the Publio Servants entitled to the bonuß. For instance, a single man. on whom Is dependent an Invalid mother or -father, or sister, is as much entitled, or should be entitled to Just as much consideration as the married man with a family. Furthermore, the payment of the bonus, m one lump sum, would also be a windfall for many men, who are . strenuously striving to make ends meet on £4 per week, but remarkablo to relate, it seems that due to the shortsightedness of Parliament, or some other reason, tho Bum allocated will not be sufficient to pay all the bonuses, and accordingly the scheme which Is to be adopted Is to pay the bonus m monthly Instalments. Now, If that "scheme was general, all might bo well, or considered well But what do wo find, or rather what Is common talk? It is categorically stated that the big men, the big guns of the Public Service aro getting THEIR BONUSES IN LUMP SUMS, m fact received them last Friday or Saturday, and m view of tho alleged shortage of cash to pay tho small men, their bonuses, a position is created which calls for somo official explanation. So far as "Truth" has been able to ascertain, bonuses of from £200 down to £50 have beon paid m cash, and among those who have received their war wealth aro: Messrs. W. Triggs (£200). R. J. Collins (£100), O. F. CampbeU (£100), D. G. Clark (£100), D. G. Faeho (£100), W. R, Morris (£100), Dr. VallntJne (£126), Dr. Salmond (£125), G. Reakos (£6O), Malcolm Fraser (£SO). Let us see who theso gentlemen ore. Mr. Trlgga, is m receipt of £1000 por annum, and is a member of tho Public Service Commission. Colonel Collins, AuditorGeneral, is also m receipt of £100* per annum. G. F. C. Campbell, Is secretary of tho Treasury, also receiving £1000 per annum. D. G. Fncho is the secretary to the War Pensions Hoard, while W. It Morris, is the secretary U the Post Office. Mr. Salmond X.C, (Crown Solicitor), who with Dr. V'nlintino has received a bonus of £125, is ovor tho £1000 por annum mark, "Truth" not being m a position to stato what salary Dr. Vallntlno is In receipt of. Mr. D, O. Clurk Is Commissioner of Taxation, and presumably, In recognition of tho fact that the new ; < K»>e of taxation Involves oxtrh duties oi* his shoulders, bus just received AN INCREASE OF £200 l'Elt ANNUM. Messrs. Rcnkcs and Franer nro the Government Veterinary and Government Statistical! respectively, and each, has received a war bonus of £50. Now. "Truth" Is not to be understood as stiying that all the*e u<-utio-men are not entitled to their I.. muses. No doubt they havo expensive e*tab~ llshments to keep up, and m < mnnion with the general cumnnmltv find tho Increased cost of Jiving and the prospects of furthor increase^, I( burden, and the lump sums mentioned i-omo m very handy, but when wo find DISTINCTIONS DICING MADB, when thoro aro difference* In <1«*«, when tho big-salaried men k> i all that they are entitled to m one lump mun. and the smaller man, who hi jmu as much entitled to consideration, ha» his bonus doled out to hltn m ».. many monthly payments, ft {h di.-.- from "Truth" that a protest, and tin emphatic protest at that, »oi. -iM tn* entered. Who is respond)/,- '■•i this position? This is the .-<■;•. .; iMng which causes discontent, vi., , no Public Sorvlce Commission nn, allay.