"SUIRKERS AND WASTERS"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 184, 24 April 1918, Page 6

"SUIRKERS AND WASTERS"

Sir,—For soino time Ihero has been a lot of uoiiimcnt in the' Dominion Press on what they call the shirker. The law cull get al those follows; but llioro is little sued about tile wasters who are twenty times worse for the country—the wasters of public money, who will ruin this country yet. -As soon as this war started everybody .had to get war bonuses to eliow their loyalty. Then, wages had to go up and up every time to show they were patriotic. Ami even those adniinisreriu;,' our laws must follow suit. Not only, I hat, but nil Government olKcials holding any position earning high salaries,-in most cases twice as much a* they are really worth, or can honestly earn, and retiring- wealthy men after ;i stated time in Government employ, they havo .'to get pensions in many cases o£ hundreds of pounds. Is this not sheer wasto and extravagance? If those drawing high wages in a lifelong billet have wasted them instead of providing for later in life they are not entitled to any more than the "ordinary old-age pension, and the electors of this Dominion should see to it when voting for members of Parliament that they vote for men with some principle, and who have tho.welfare of tho country at heart. Then there is the tremendous waste of money in sending away wasters. Now they are being sent back by tho thousands as practically unfit, while it is ■said they cost the country on an average five hundred each. In that line New Zealand will take top place. Theso pampered youths are costing us more than those who are doing then , part and laying down their life for their country. And why are they not discharged when they return and be done with them? Then there is the great waste on State farms, a great farce to anyone who ever saw a practical farm worked. All this Is plunging this country in an unbearable amount of debt, and certainly steps ought to be taken to put a stop to all this waste and extravagance before it is too late.—l am, etc., O.LD WASTER.