The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1885. A Beginning.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1481, 6 March 1885, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1885. A Beginning.

It will be satisfactory to the taxpayers of this colony to learn that the Government at last see their way to give effect to an important part of their policy—the reduction of our much overgrown Civil Service, A telegram published in, yesterday’s issue announced that a reduction was being made- in the Survey Department, by which a saving of about Li 8,000 would be secured to the colonial exchequer. Civil Service reform was not, perhaps, the most prominent plank in the platform set up by the now Colonial Treasurer at the last general election, but it was certainly esteemed a matter of some moment by the electors, and the JCabinet could not with prudence disregard the force of popular sentiment upon the question. The continued depression both in agriculture and what we have of other industries, would make it

highly impolitic, almost impossible, to increase our revenue by adding to the burdens of those already overtaxed, yet in the near future an expansion of our revenue might, with our present expenditure and threatening contingencies, become absolutely necessary. It is therefore a matter for congratulation that the Government have accepted the alternative, and earnestly applied themselves to the reduction of a service which, notwithstanding periodical outcries against its overgrowth, had under a Government traditionally identified with its existence assumed dimensions beyond the requirements or the means of the colony. We hope, too, that this movement may be taken as an indication that the present Government will shortly satisfy the growing impatience of the electors and give practical effect to their other popular proposals.