RETRENCHMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 460, 19 March 1909, Page 6

RETRENCHMENT.

CONSOLIDATION PROPOSALS. POSITION OF NATIVE DEPARTMENT. ■ PROBABLE EFFECT ON MINISTERS. Tho air is full of rumours about tho amalgamation of Government Departments, and sundry conjectures aro now being made for whicfy there: is probably very little warrant. Tho splitting up of the Native Department has been suggested, but this, if carried very far, would seem opposed to tho principle of consolidation; which would demand that Native matters should bo kept as far as siblo under one control. Ono branch of the Nativo Department' thero is which might easily be separated with advantage to the parent stem and to itself. This is the Maori Councils, which it is suggested are likely to be added to tho Health Department. Almost the only function of these councils is to look after the sanitary well-being of the pas. Incidentally ' they collect the dog tax; which constitutes their principal source of revenue It is understood that a large proportion of the Civil List vote is handed over by the Native Department to the 'Health Department for provision of sick comforts, payment of medical officers, and other expenses incurred at the instance of the Maori Councils. If the councils were placed under tho Health Department altogether,. tho administration would be simplified without any loss of efficiency.

A suggestion that the Native Land Court should be transferred to the Justice Department has probably less to commend it. This was the arrangement which existed prior to a few years ago, and apparently it was not satisfactory. It is urged that Maori Courts cannot be conducted on tho same strict lines as European places of justice; special knowledge and a greater freedom of system are required from the character and circumstances of the Native race. On tho other hand, it is stated that the present system,of itinerant Native judges is costly out of all proportion to the work performed. Every judgo is entitled to a special allowance of 12s. 6d. a day when he is travelling—and that is practically always—while the clerk attendant on each judge receives an' additional allowance of 10s. a day, and a minor official is entitled to a less amount. It is urged in some quarters that a system of district judges might bo introduced, who would do tho work just as efficiently at much less expense. Another suggestion is that the Maori Land Boards -may bo separated from the Nativo Department, and placed under the Lands Department. Against this it is argued lhat the complexities of Maori land titles cannot bo unravelled by authorities who are only used to the straightforward procedure of European custom.. In any case, it is difficult to see any reason why the Native Department should be dismembered to so great an extent as these changes would involve, unless tho ultimato intention were to dispense with it altogether. The appointment of practically a second Nativo Minister does not favour the idea that this can bo intended. The Nativo Department costs £30,000 a year, and in the'opinion of some persons, achieves singularly little for the money.

An interesting aspect of tho Departmental changes that are causing speculation will be their effect on Ministers. It has been urged repeatedly that Ministers are over-worked, but ono very strong reason why Ministers are overworked is held to bo that there are far too many Civil Service Departments, and consequently far too many heads of Departments who pester them with unimportant business. The most trifling matters are constantly being referred to Ministers by certain Departmental heads. If thero were only about as many Departments as there are Ministers, each Minister would be consulted by only one Departmental head, instead of half-a-dozen. Strong undor-secrctaries would bo in charge of the consolidated Departments, and tho thousand and ono matters which the heads" now refer to Ministers, would then bo referred by them to tho undcr-scc-rctaries of their Departments, and in fivo cases out of six would need to go no further. Ministers would thus be relieved of an immense burden of petty business, and it might even be possible to retrench a' few email Ministers, ,aa well as small Departments.