ADMINISTRATIVE LEAKAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1930, Page 6

ADMINISTRATIVE LEAKAGES.

The very interesting little story told to Parliament by the Minister of Public Works on Wednesday in regard to the payment of carpenters in his department was distinctly illuminating. When it became necessary to increase taxation in order to balance the Dominion’s finances the Ministry assured the country that administrative estimates had been closely scrutinised and every possible reduction in expenditure made. Whether as a result of that scrutiny or not, it has been ascertained that for the last 20 or 30 years the carpenters employed by the Public Works Department have been receiving 45 hours pay fo,r 44 hours’ york each week, lhe practice seems to have grown up m the old days, when the whole Civil Service was under political contiol, and what may have been intended as a teinpevary expedient grew into a settled condition and almost to a right on the part of the employees concerned. It is satisfactory to note that the Minister has put an end to the anomaly and loss to the State. It is true that the amount involved in the loss was only a few hundred pounds annually, but the principle involved was very important, and there will be general approval of the Minister’s decision that the State must not be expected to pay wages for no return. The fact that his decision was questioned in Parliament shows'how easy it is for extravagance with public money to create a sort of vested interest for those who have profited thereby, and how easy it is for leakages to escape detection. The incident goes to prove what has been so often asserted, namely, that if the business of the State were handled by experienced commercial men and with the same regard to costs and returns as must apply to successfill commercial management, large economies in administration, would be. found possible without any. reduction in efficiency. It is to be hoped the experience of the Minister of Public Works may stimulate a thorough overhaul of expenditure in other departments.