PUBLIC WORKS

Southland Times, Issue 21895, 22 December 1932, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS

FURTHER ECONOMIES REDUCTIONS IN STAFF STATEMENT BY MINISTER (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, December 21. Details of economies effected and the reorganization carried out in the Public Works Department announced by the Hon. J. G. Coates, stated that considerable reductions in staff had already been made, but further retrenchment is necessary. Since April 1, 1931, the staff had been reduced by 41 per cent. Certain internal reorganizations in various branches would enable additional economies to be effected and a total reduction in the staff of 50 per cent, was in sight. “It has been apparent,” said Mr Coates, “on account of the necessary reduction in funds available for public works purposes, that a heavy curtailment of this department’s activities is unavoidable and indeed that the changed conditions have made imperative a general recasting of the whole public works organization. The money voted by Parliament for public works for the year ending March 31, 1930 was £8,216,717, for 1931 £8,007,789, for 1932 £6,405,405, and for the current year ending March 31, 1933, £3,539,027. These figures indicate the extent to which reductions had to be made and of course corresponding reductions in the nersonnel of the department were also unavoidable.

“In September, 1931, 761 permanent and 881 temporary officers were employed. On November 1, 1932, these numbers had been reduced to 656 permanent and 339 temporary, a reduction of 105 permanent and 542 temporary, making a total of 647 officers.. This leaves a total remaining staff in the department of 995 and further retrenchment now in process of arrangement will reduce the number to 973. The position that must be recognized is that the lesser amount of work consequent on the restriction of loan money for public works does not warrant their retention. We must retrench. No other course is open. “The saving already made in the gross administrative costs is considerable, Mr Coates continued. For 1930-31 this charge was £507,000. For 1932-33 it will be £307,000, a reduction of £200,000. A comparison with 1919-20 when the public works expenditure was the lowest for the past twelve years is illuminating. Then the department’s staff numbered 732 and the gross expenditure £1,612,000. At that time the department had not taken over the maintenance and operation of hy-dro-electric and irrigation schemes which have since been completed.”