THE RETRENCHED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 536, 17 June 1909, Page 8

THE RETRENCHED.

COMPLAINTS OF "POLITICAL PULL."

NO EFFICIENCY TEST.

SWEEPING REDUCTION IN HEALTH 'DEPARTMENT. The keenest critics of retrenchment are the retrenched. Some of them have expressed their views' pretty freely to a Dominion reporter. They declare that tho solection of the victims is not guided by any fair or just principle that can be discovered. Efficiency is not considered, nor seniority, nor good conduct, and the only thing-that appeals to have beon taken into account is "political pull.'" One cannot out feel sorry for many of the dismissed ones. Some of them are men with families, whose salaries from month to month have only just covered household and personal expenses, and whose drawing from the superannuation fund consists only of what they have paid in during a few years of service. Others are in a position scarcely any better, for although their service of twenty years or over may entitle them to more money on retirement, the long period at the desk has caused them to dread a change, and to mistrust. their own powers of adaptation .to a wholly different tovironment.

An Inspired Blue Pencil. They and their comrades who remain in the ranks scorn to be as disappointed as they are bewildered at the way the Government has treated them. They think the retrenchment scheme is just a matter of a high authority arming himself with" a blue pencil, calling for a list, and striking out names with no other consideration than to spare those'lhaving '"the "right" political associations, and to save a certain amount of expenditure in each Department. It appears that, in most instances, the heads ofDepartments, and the phief clerks, have not been consulted, and thai the whole tiling is;beiflg decided by -Ministers. August 31 is the date named on the notices of dismissal, but the Government places no obstacle in the way of those who wish to leave Booner, in order to take advantage of some favourable opening. These receive their'.pay .up' to 'the end of August, jurt as thou'ghj-they. 'continued to.'carry out their ' Some of those who remain at their desks do so in the hope that they will be reinstated, or transferred to: other. Departments. They think such alterations ■ of, the scheme must be necessary on account of tho haphazard way in which it is being,,brought,)about. One of them asked anxi6usly'"if' the reporter had heard reinstatements- m " any . of the Departments..' The replyin the negative.-, '

Burden' Falls on Weakest Shoulders. One aspect of the'sishome which is dwelt upon rather' bitterly, is.tbo way in which highly-placed officers are spared, while the rank and file are sacrificed to the new zeal for economy. It is pointed out that no heads of Departments are being dismissed, and that to avoid parting with; some ■of them, tho Government-has appointed them to positions for which 'th&y 'hSve.ikit been (jualified by previous ,csperieDpo. ;. Tho suggestion is that ■in order;to keep any one of these in the State's ''employ,' -throe or four comparatively rioior" 'dejafaed of their 1 means of livelihood. The burden' of retrenchment, say' these, bas to be bomo by those least able to sustain it. .-' »i. -. v "- ■ " • '

"Near Relations.'! ; '-'■■The c-ierical stoffs'.of.'the head and Wellington district' offices; of the Department \of Public Health have comprised hitherto eleven men and youths, and four female typists. Of the only is to. remain, and nothing is .yet jaiown - a3;to the typists. There are four assistants >at the 'Pathological Laboratoryj" which is controlled by the Health Department, and two .of them - * are under notice to leave. It will thus be seen that, omitting the typists,, a.staff of fifteen is to be reduccd:.to, three... It is a subject of remark that two out of the three, have near relations who are -woll-lmown as ■ politic*! supporters of tho Administration.

Solitary Clerk's Prospcct. Tho on®' (Jerk to bo left in the District Health Office will, it is understood, have to undertake also 'the clerical work of the head office. That is to say, lie must do the work which baa hitherto been done by eleven men. It is;inferred,, fromv the Prime Minister's amiooncements, that 'the care of the public ■ health is to'be'tjnvmi, iipon tie local bodies more; than.in,,the. pastj. bat as the Act throughout'- is"' permissive so far as local authorities are, concerned, it appears that it. mnst be: amended before any snch transfer of' responsibilities can be effected. An amendment, presumably, would not come into force untd January, 1, 1910, and in tho meantnne • it looks as if . tie sole remaining olerk nnist lead a particularly strenuous lifo. : The last published; amraal report shows that in.twelve months, the Wellington office wrote 3889' letters, served 427 ireqmsitidns', sent inspectors to ,170 hotels, took legal proceedings in eleven casos, had considerable quantities of. food inspected, made a .munber of special investigations, prepared seven special reports, and performed dirties connected with 1574 cases of infections disease.