JONAHS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 161, 5 October 1880, Page 3

JONAHS.

& - If rumors are to be believed reductions of a most sweeping character are to take place on the civil service—especially in the railway department. We are told by telegrams from Wellington that the two Railway Commissioners —Mr. Lawson for the North Island, and Mr. Conyers for the South—are to be dispensed with, and have, in fact, received notice of the Government’s intention to do without them. There areot’norindicationsthatan energetic churning up of the higher offices in the service is contemplated, so that the number of high salaried officials who tread on each other’s heels is likely to be considerably reduced, and two or three will be made to do the work that five have hitherto been credited with doing. Government would not initiate a step like this unless they were well assured that the efficiency of the service will not suffer, and we have no doubt it will go on all the same, and show just as good results without the gentlemen who are to be removed, as it did under their management, actual or nominal. If it was found necessary absolutely to go in for a reduction by ten per cent, of the salaries and weekly wages of all the Government servants, it was equally necessary to do without such of the higher paid ones as could be spared, and Ministers have made Jonahs of the Commissioners, whose casting out it is expected will help to lighten the, vessel.