Well-Fed League Perturbed

NZ Truth, Issue 852, 18 March 1922, Page 1

Well-Fed League Perturbed

The poor old Weil-Fed .. League is pitifully perturbed over what it calls the unpatriotic proposal of a branch of the' Public Service. The cause of its worry is that the Post and Telegraph Association is contemplating linking up with The Alliance of Labor. It is clear to any logical thinker that the position must.be serious that has led this section of State employees even to consider for a moment the,advisability of such action, and one must conclude that it is the visible and outward sign of the effects of the messy mismanagement of the P. and T. Department for the last seven years. The paid * pen-pusher of the Weil-Fed League says "Centralisation is the workers' enemy." That is a general, statement and though by itself it proves nothing, it is nevertheless a ler gitimate objection if it can.be supported by facts. In this case, however, it proves more than its authors bargained for. "Truth" has shown time and again, that centralisation under the Public Service Commissioner's office has become the most expensive, unbusinesslike and unwieldy piece of officialdom possible, and is costing the country about a million pounds a year.' What have we as the result- of , seven years of such centralisation — an outcry toy the country against the cost 6t the Public Service, and so Mr. Massey was ■ compelled 'to go m for retrenchment. And how Is this being carried out? By a general reduction of big salaries? Oh, dear, no. By the dismissal of home-hating,. females who prefer (working m a Government office to carrying out household duties, or of the do-little but well-paid daughters. of head-pea civil servants ? Again, no. But by the dismissal of officers whose pension period is all but due (because, forsooth,, the country cannot afford to pay pensions to superannuated servants, though it. can afford'td pay £300 per annum increases ih salariesto men for the same work as they previously received a good wage for performing), and .by N the dismissal of, females with heavy, responsibilities— -females .against whom somebody has a grudge. If the Well-Fed League is bo anxious for justice and f airplay, why Is it silent m regard to these things? During the last week or two public servants have been dismissed at fifteen ' minutes' notice and, we understand, that some four hundred more are under orders to quit at the end of the present month. This method of / retrenchment as carried out under the instructions of the Public Service Commissioners, with the approval of Cabinet, is' a serious blot upon the Massey administration. \The dismissal of married men with families dependent ' upon thenv -and females with twenty years' service, who are the sole support of invalid parents, relatives or young children, while young unmarried men and females of shorter service and without - dependents are retained, has no parallel for callousness and injustice, we are happy to say m any other part of the British EmpireAnd while the Government is maklfcg such a fuss over the necessity for its retrenchment scheme, the Public SerI vice Commissioner is about to appoint a "relieving officer and inspector"! for the Justice Department at a salary of £600 a year— to say nothing of what it will cost the -'country m the way of travelling expenses. Now, this is quite a new position, and it seems strange that, as the Department has never required such an official before, the Commissioner should create a new highly-paid office at a time when a ■scheme of general .retrenchment is being enforced, and men m lower paid positions are being cast adrift m order •j to save Government money. It will ibe interesting to note the lucky per- ; son. destined to- fill this newly-created well-paid • position, k \... v

"Tiny"— {Lt.- Col- Freyberg, whose brilliant and meteoric career is wellknown to all New Zealanders.has been appointed General Staff Officer to one of the second grade divisions of the Territorial Army m England. Good luck to the young New Zealand dentist. ii :x SB ;

A Budden seizure last week removed one of Auckland's most highlyesteemed citizens m the person of Mr.' Peter Virtue, a man whose benevolence and sympathy towards any de-> serving cause could always be counted upon. The deceased for many years past lhas been manager of the "Champion" roller mills, and as "V, Auckland," his advertisements and contributions on public matters to the press were always read with interest. He was an admirer of all that is good, and he was always ready to lend a helping hand m time, of need. Nobody will ever know how many persons or movements received assistance from Mr. Virtue, whose life's object dan briefly be summed up as helping his. fellow men.

. One of the best-known writers on International subjects is that doyen among journalists, Dr. E. J. Dillon. During his career he has. travelled practically all over the* world m the Interests of the journal he represents. He tells the following typical story anent his nainsel: A leading American lawyer was warning him against going to Mexico, because of the. conditions existing ithere. "An Englishjournalist of the name of Danell or Danill, said the lawyer, was . invited by the President, to 'lunch or dinner, and the members of .the Administra-. tion, who disliked the journalist, poisoned him. Dr. Dillon was asked if ,he had ever > -met" that journalist. '"Yes," he replied, "and the news of his death came to me from a Russian princess. The details were slightly different, for he was stated to haye dropped dead. His name, too, was a little different— it was Dr. E- J. Dillon." ■ !. '

tJ !! »• With the near approach of "the killing" already the vultures are gathering m the sky with a view to general election pickings. The Labor 'Party m Auckland has promptly selected its candidates for the Auckland province seats. In addition to the sitting members — Messrs. Parry, Savage and Bartram—the following will be candidates for the various seats: Messrs. J. A. Lee (who recently ran Clutha Mackenzie to a head), J. Purtell, O. Mcßrine, ■ H.--G. Mason, R. F. Way and G., F. Jones. Down Christchurch way rumors are current that Mr. D. J- Jones, the Reform member for Kaiapoi, will not be a candidate and that Sir R. Heaton Rhodes will be "translated to another place" arid Mr. Jones will then contest the El'lesmere aeat. Mr. Mulhollarid, of Darfield, is mentioned as likely to contest Riccarton with , Mr. George Witty Mr. Bennett is announced to contest Wellington Central with Mr. Peter Fraser. Dr. .Newmans seat everybody knows is far from safe, and Sir John Luke, owing to the Civil Service retrenchments, will have to put up a hot fight if he is to retain his. Further north it is stated .;th'at Mr. H; D. Forsyth will try to wrest the 'Egmont i^eat from Mr. O; Hawken, whose hold" ! on it is distinctly uncertain,