STATE EMPLOYEES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6977, 13 October 1948, Page 10

STATE EMPLOYEES

ONE-EIGHTH OF TOTAL WORKERIS HEAVY PREPONDERANCE REVEALED One in every eight employed persons is on the pay-roll of the State, according to computations made from reports tabled in Parliament. A feature of the departmental annual reports during the present session has been that nearly all complain of being hampered by a shortage of staff. Figures quoted by Mr W. A. Hudson, M.P., in a recent debate showed that there are 90,329 males and females in the Government service, representing 12.4 per (’ent of the estimated total labour force. Itl is easy to visualise that were the needs for more stair outlined in these departmental reports met, the 190,000 mark would soon be passed. According to Mr Hudson’s figures, four-fifths of the total Government, staff is engaged in the production of commodities or providing essentia] services, and fewer than one-fifth on social service or administrative work. The latter represents one-fortieth of the total labour force. Those engaged on essential services total 43,256.

There arc 29.284 engaged in the production of commodities and 17,789 on social services and administrative work. One in every five persons employed by the State is required, for the efficient running of the railways and 14,793 or one in six, are employed by the Post and Telegraph Department. Growth of Population

The Abstract of Statistics gives the present population of New Zealand as 1,812,609, of which number 1,705,322 are Europeans and 109,003 Maoris. At the end of December, 1938, the population was 1,519,606 Europeans and 87.947 Maoris, making an aggregate of 1.606,763. Nearly half a century ago a distinguished visitor from overseas put on record about New Zealand the following summarisation “ The population of the colony is 650,000 most of

them Government servants.” Since that day the’ nopulation has increased by more than 1,000,000, but servants of the Government still represent a considerable proportion.