CIVIL SERVICE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20107, 10 December 1930, Page 10

CIVIL SERVICE.

REDUCTION OF COST. HEAVY BURDEN ON COUNTRY. [THE P3ES3 Special Berric».] DUNEDIN, December 9. Dominion business conditions as reflected by the operations of the share market were touched on to-day by Mr E. It. Smith, chairman, at the annual meeting of the Dunedin Stock Exchange. "The world depression has naturally been reflected on the Exchange during the year," Mr Smith said, "and it would be idle to pretend that business has been up to the normal standard. The fall in the value of all shares has been very pronounced, and need not be dwelt upon. The prospects for the coming year do not yet, in my opinion, disclose the silver lining that we are all looking forward to expectantly.. Owing to the large sums of money that the Dominion has invested in Australia during the last few years, we are very closely linked with the Commonwealth's markets, and therefore deeply interested in the problems that at present confront its people. Government Criticised. "One does not like to comment on the lesson to be learned from our neighbours and the position they have reached as a result of extravagant borrowing and unproductive expenditure, except to point out that tilt, leaders of our Government do not seem to be capable of profiting by the example, and their slogan wojild appear to be 'Eat. drink, and be merry, for to-mor-row we die.' This is exemplified by tlie fact that during the last six months they have borrowed over £9,000,000, a large proportion of which is being spent on non-productive works. Thus, notwithstanding the gloom overshadowing all primary industries, our already huge interest bill is being greatly increased. Cost of Civil Service. "No sufficient attempt," Mr Smith continued, "has yet been made to reduce the cost of our Civil Service, which is notoriously top heavy. Why, it may be asked, should this section of our community continue to draw their usual salaries while the people who provide them, the producer on tho land with wool at 5d per lb and butter-fat at £>d per lb, the manufacturer, the artisan, and the business community are practically all experiencing severe reverses? Those who pay the taxes cannot longer sustain these outgoings, nor can they continue to provide the attractive rate of pay which is being maintained on the works put in hand for the unemployed. So long as 14s per day is available the unemployed single man will not exercise much initiative in seeking- for other avenues of work. Indeed, as is_ well known, ha will fre? queasy relinquish, a good i*

order to get on to » PnWiS IOIL Trade RiPW* 5 -. "Our > m Pf ß t^b r /ff ended on Sepiember exp9 ittjJ £33,348,000, and £37,131,000 * how *y&> * of £3,782,000. our primary P rod °® tl °° J „ -ffeei «T|* ing season wilJ ftdvewJy . will also fall- T ", it jj hoMj! disclosed above wfl, j, pOf% maintained ajid «» itf„>Tonr 4P»"S us successfully # and eventually, jL jatfw® S necessary oeonomies, pf * Zealand to its ol* prosperous rnnntrj- | - -