THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 241, 12 October 1931, Page 10

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

NO SIGN OF ECONOMY DEPARTMENTAL EXPANSION COSTS CONTINUE TO RISE INCREASE SINCE PRE-WAR YEAR The strength of the strangle-hold the public service has secured upon New Zealand and its power to resist economy measures are illustrated by the statistics of the Public Service Commissioners, states the New Zealand Herald. The fact that the plural has to be used for the term is indicative. The report is signed by Mr P. Verschaffelt and also by Mr B. L. Dallard, who, in this sphere, is known as the assistant-commissioner. For those who know most about officialdom, perhaps there is less humour than for the general public to find in the joint report of these two functionaries for the year 1929, the statement that the ‘‘commissioner is indebted to the Government for agreeing to recommend the appointment of Mr B. L. Dallard, Controller-General of Prisons, as assistant-commissioner, to facilitate the quinquennial regrading of the service which is being effected this year. ’ ’ One observes that in the following year Mr Dallard remains as a joint signatory of the report. An examination of the figures of the group of the departments controlled by the Public {Service Commissioner, who himself has a staff of eight, will convince any business executive that the average department in the group is groaning uuder an overloaded staff cost. No business concern could dream of persisting with such extravagance. Nevertheless, the group continues to expand, and unless the new Cabinet is courageous enough to carry out retrenchment, the taxpayer must endeavour to reconcile himself to the thraldom of bureaucracy. Growth of Staff Str erg ths Following are the staff strengths of the departments of the Public Service Commissioner’s group in the years mentioned:— 1913-14 5071 1928- 7638 1929- 7788 1930- (estimated) .. 7803 This means that since the outbreak of the war this group of departments has increased its personnel by over 50 per cent., although in the period the population of the Dominion has increased by little more than 300,000. To be remembered is the fact that the group does not include those departments which are most likely to swell by population increase. It does not include the Post Office, the Railways, the teaching branch of the Education Department, the Police, or the casual workers of the Public Works Department. On the other hand, it must be remembered that since 1913 some new departments have been created, notably, the State Forest Service and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Officialdom’s Expansion But the fact remains that officialdom has grown out of all proportion. New branches have “hived off,” and to quote a civil, servant who is a critic, “the moment a branch is created its head gathers some clerks around him and sets sail for a place in the sun.” The staff figures of the group do not include temporary employees classified as “other than workmen.” These in 1930 totalled 2047, including 249 male clerks, 707 typists, 53 inspectors, 117 draughtsmen and computers, 59 engineers’ assistants, 35 instructors and 175 office assistants. The salary cost of these departments, excluding the temporary list, has expanded as follows:

Comparison of Staffs It is not possible to compare in a table the staff strength of all the departments concerned. For instance, in 1913 there was a Department of Agriculture, Industries and Commerce, with a strength of 427. Now the Department of Agriculture has a strength of 554, and the Department of Industries and Commerce since created is staffed by ten men. However, the fol lowing comparisons may be made:—

The net result of last year in the salary account of classified officers only was an increase of £67,296. No one knows what the salary account of temporary employees represented on the cost of travelling as compared with former times, when every executive officer did not have the services of a special motor-car. Commissioners Pleased The report of the joint commissioners lor last year pays tribute to the “ready manner” in which the departments have risen to the occasion to meet the demand for rigid economy, but nevertheless the staffs continue to grow and the salary bill to expand. It is mentioned, however, that “overstaffing” and “financial prodigality” are entirely unwarranted charges. One is invited to believe that a grave situation has been satisfactorily met by a classified salary bill increased by only £67,000, and by an unknown amount received by temporary employees. It is mentioned that just under onethird of the new appointments for the year is accounted for by the Public Trust Office, which is not a burden on the Consolidated Fund, and that 20 per cent, is due to the appointment of additional trainees to school dental clinics. “But,” remarked a business executive to whom these figures were shown, ‘ ‘ the obvious reflection is that the de-

partments appear to remain paramount to any Government. They continue to grow. Each is a kind of mutual preservation society, with the Public Service Commissioners’ Department mothering the lot. Since March 31 there has been a 10 per cent, cut, but I wonder if we have the faintest chance of getting a 10 per cent, cut in personnel? I believe a 20 per cent, cut could be made if ordinary business practice were followed.”

1913-14 £874,437 1928-29 .. .. 2,187,064 1929-30 2,260,267 1930-31 (estimated) 2,332,527

Dept. 191 3-14.19. 8-29. 1929-30. Audit 60 156 158 Customs 238 302 313 Education 248 292 300 Internal Affairs . 228 3 / 5 383 Health. 66 425 451 Labour 66 107 102 Lands and Survey 438 628. 626 Land and Deeds 97 134 131 Mental Hospitals 632 937 945 Marine 173 188 188 Native 54 67 74 Native Trust .. — 27 28 Printing Prisons 308 319 303 142 243 Public Works 530 714 753 Public Trust 203 599 645 State Forests — 119 124 Treasury 53 89 88