CIVIL SERVICE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 178, 26 June 1940, Page 3

CIVIL SERVICE

PURGE OF SUBVERSIVE ELEMENTS STILL CONTINUES MANY WARNINGS ISSUED The process of purging Government Departments of all employees participating in activities which are subversive or prejudicial to the national war effort, continues. Officials of two of the departments Avhich are the largest employers of labour* the Public Works Department and the Railways Department, admitted that inquiries were being made in those departments into the conduct of a number of their staffs. Similar action to that being taken in other departments was being taken in the Railways Department, it was stated. In the Public Works j Department only about four employees had been dismissed. In both cases, however, inquiries were proceeding. A number of persons has been warned to discontinue conduct of a more or less subversive type. The employment of unnaturalised aliens was also being investigated in certain Government departments. It is understood that where employees have been dismissed from the public service, no further action has been taken against them, so that they are able to continue whatever subversive activities they may have taken part in. Criticism has been levelled at this course, on the grounds that if their conduct is of such a nature as to warrant their dismissal, it is surely equally prejudicial to the war effort and the public safety for them to be allow-, ed to continue it.