STATE DEPARTMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 461, 20 March 1909, Page 10

STATE DEPARTMENTS.

Sir,—l have read with interest your articjos on-the Civil Service, and the advisability of amalgamating many of tho Departments. There is no doubt this could be carried out without in any way impairing tho service,'and would save tho 'State thousands per annum. The number of separate Departments that has been created the last few years is ridiculous,_ and most of them have been established 6ithcr to mako places for someone with' a political pull, or for other reasons quito apart fronvtho needs of the State.Take three large Departments mentioned in your article, viz., Valuation, Land and Income /Tax, and Government Advances to Sottlcrs.' ' These Departments should certainly bo together,ami under ono head, as their is interwoven ono with tho other, and it would savo hundreds per annum, besides preventing a largo amount of. night, work, etc., at'certain times of the yean, in one Department, whilo the others can scarcely find work enough to keep tho clerks going. I understand, also, copies of tho Valuation Rolls aro written for tho Land and Incomo Tax Department large expense), a most absurd business when tlm Departments are contiguous, and the Valuation Rolls could j be easily referred to, but I believe these 1 two Departments aro continually squabbling, and that the Ministers know it. too, so it is about time Sir Joseph Ward took a hand and put things on a proper] baiis in these, as well as other, Departments of 'the service.—l ara, etc., , COMMON SENSE. Wellington, March 15, 1909. J