THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2518, 3 June 1909, Page 3

THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE

THE RETRENCHMENT SCHEME. (Per Press Association.; AVELLINGTON, June 2. The details of the retrenchment scheme outlined some weeks ago by "the Prime Minister are now being worked out. Yesterday was the last day of the month, and quite a number of Government employees received notice that at the end of three months from date their services would no longer bo required. TEMPORARY CLERKS. Naturally the first departments to bo made the subject of this attention wore those in which for many years past it has been tlic. custom to employ a number of temporary clerics, such as the Land and Income Tax, Advances to Settlers, and Valuation Departments. Under the most- recent Civil Service legislation a temporary clerk automatically becomes a civil servant at tho expiration of fivo years, -and enters the fold of those entitled to superannuation. In these departments, therefore, the employees who have received three months’ notice are chiefly those who have served less than five years temporarily. Their number is considerable, but some have, been _ transferred to other departments, chiefly to tho Post and Audit. Tho Postal Department is one that grows year by year with almost prodigious strides, and therefore is nearly always in want of fresh hands, and the Audit Department has been considerably weakened of late by the retirement of several of the. older officers on superannuation. HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

This morning it was announced that Dr. Akilintine, Inspector-General of Hospitals, had been appointed Chid Health Officer in place of Dr. J. M. Mason, who bade farewell to the Department yesterday. It is understood that a scheme of reorganisation of tho Health Department is being considered. In fact, the Alinister in charge, tho Hon. D. Buddo, lias already intimated that the work of the department will bo carried out in the future in soino form or another, but the present position is that almost every member of tho department’s clerical staff has received the three months’ notice that is usual in such cases. Air. East-gate, the department’s accountant, is t-o be transferred to tho Audit Department. The cadets attached to the department will find resting places in other Government offices, but practically all the clerical staff will disappear, and the Public Health Department will, for a time at any rate, consist of a Chief Health Officer, a limited number of District Health Officers, and a stray clerk and inspector hero and there. No details aro yet available as to the reorganisation proposal in regard to department. Three- months have yet to elapse before the notices of retirement become effective, and by that time it is suggested things may happen which will considerably alter the designs of the Government. ELECTOR AL DEPARTMENT.

Another department that has been Department. The staff there is and has for some time been engaged in tho compilation of now rolls. That work will be at an end shortly, and about half the staff has received notice that at tho end of August their services will no longer bo required. TO CRIST DEPARTAIENT.

As already stated, sweeping reductions aro contemplated in connection with flic Tourist Department. The offices are to bo removed to the new Public Trust buildings -on Lambton Quay, and the business will he carried on in a much loss .pretentious manner than hitherto. Alost of the accommodation houses controlled by the department will bo leased, thus considerably decreasing the staff necessary for carrying on the. work of the department, and it is anticipated that at least half of the thirty hands employed in the Wellington offico will have notice to leave, besides which there will be a general and extensive cutting down of staffs at the various resorts throughout tho country, with possibly the exception of Rotorua and Hanmcr, and as far as possible some of the more important resorts in the Lakes districts. THE POLICE. Not much actual saving can be effected' in iregard to the. police. Increases there are subject to the spread ■of population, especially in the cities, but even so it is estimated that the vote asked for ths year will only he about £2OO more than last year, as against an average yearly increase of about £II,OOO. That saving, it is stated, will ho effected without prejudice to tho “law and order” requirements of the Dominion, and chiefly by careful and painstaking economy, even to tho extent of .reducing transfers (which cost a lot of money) to tho smallest possiblo limits. LABOR DEPARTMENT. The Labor Department has not been visibly affected, but there is trouble in the air, and curtailment of staffs is expected daily. It is suggested that the saving, wall he effected by considerably curtailing the number of activities which tho department now engages in. VALUATION DEPARTMENT. One result of the retrenchment in the Valuation Department is tho retirement on superannuation of Air. T. AV. Caverhill, who has been district valuer for years past.