Civil Service Comb-Out

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 13, 16 January 1948, Page 5

Civil Service Comb-Out

Suggestion From Branch Of Federated Farmers

According to a report released by the Rangitaiki Plains Branch of the Bay of Plenty Province of Federated Farmers of N.Z. Inc., the Council feels that, in view of the present shortage of manpower in essential industries, there should be a vigorous comb-out of all Government Departments, also that a Royal Commission should investigate the increased cost of the civil service.

Nor is that the farmers’ only complaint. The Council is emphatically opposed to State monopoly of workers’ compensation insurance, on the ground that it cut's across the principle of co-operation so strongly advocated by the Government. Moreover, the Council fears that the present high cost of superphosphate will lead to the deterioration of hill country owing to the economic factors involved.

It supports the Power Board’s Association’s effort to reduce the cost of electric power to smaller rural Boards, thus bringing it into line with the rates charged the larger Boards. Proposed Land Policy

The monthly meeting of the branch this week received a report on the Federation’s proposed land policy, but discussion was held over until next month, when more time is expected to be available to give the subject the deliberation that is its due. Mr J. Boulcott presided at the meeting, which received a letter from Mr H. E. Blyde, Dominion president, stating that cropping fertiliser had priority on the railways over topdressing allocations. This was in confirmation of information conveyed to the last meeting of the branch in a letter from the Minister of Agriculture, but the chairman pointed out that at least one farmer he knew had not received hig cropping allocation yet, and there were probably many more.