GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE

Chronicle (Levin), 25 September 1947, Page 4

GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE

LITTLE SAID TO BE LEFT U??T0IJ.CPPU r The present Government's interpretatibii pf : service" was" apparently "serve us." The depart? mqnfal pffiGers,K seemed to - think |jrgt "they cquld" iopk §fter'*|,)ie people's interest better than thqy could themselves, said" Miss Elaine Nbwton, when speaking In Levin on Tuesday to members of the Leyin brqnph of tfip National Pgpty." The Government had interferecT with the people's private lives to such an extent that there was now •litjde 1'eft untpuched by • its * lpng , arm. Comjnenting' op feh^ yaribus Government Departments, Miss Newton claimed that since the Government took office' eleveh. years ago it had enlarged them to an extent that many were overburdened and -coristituted an unwarf antqd drain bn the taxpayer. To cut down on the public service departments would not mean wholesale sacking. If the Government would put 'a brake on the infake of public servants, the staffs would, by the natural process of retirement and marriage of female members, gradpally diminish. The Government was still canvassing the schools for staff in the form of a "chatty little note" from the Public Seryice Commissioner to those who passed their school leaving examination. After congratulating the pupil on passing, the note went on to outline the "joys of getting a Government jqji." The Government shouid stop this "frantie seif advertising."" * if it diverted its energies into encouraging the young people to go into productive jobs, many of these unneccessary departments would in time "shriveL up." The Government was allowing itself to be dictated to by outside power groups, said Miss Newton, when commenting on the recent strikes. Such groups were not elected by the people and should not be permitfed to "wag the big stick at the Government." We were in ■ dahger of a dictatorship from a "handful o'f bureaucrats." Puring the power shortage the Government had ' installed an auxiligry plant in Parliament Buildings. "It's not electric lights this Government wants. It is a few electric shocks," she concluded.