THE PUBLIC SERVICE
RAPIDLY RISING COST COMMISSIONER WANTS BALANCE SHEETS The growth of the Public Service is mentioned in the annual report of the Public Service Commissioner. Legislation during the last two or three years, ami tho work of reconstruction following the war. have necessitated considerable expansion of staff in Borne departments. There seems to be a tendency on the part of some departments to endeavour to expand their operations and staffs without much apparent reason. With a view of restricting this tendency the Commissioners have asked for the production of evidence that Parliament has authorised' the expenditure or that government is prepared to find the necessary funds. While this to some extent meets the case, it appears to the Commissioners that if the .Public Service is to be kept within reasonable bounds the formulation of a more comprehensive method of controlling such matters is worthy of consideration. "At the present time," says the Commissioner, "the wages and salaries; bill for the Public Service has risen rapidly, in sympathy with the conditions existing throughout the world, and this in itself has added, and will apparently continue to add, largely to-the financial commitments of the Dominion. Excluding the purely commercial and trading ccpary moufcs—the Government Insurance, l'lsmlie Trust, State Tire, State Coal, and th" State Advances to Settlers Depart-ments-to which ordinary commercial tests nah he applied, it is found that the nersonnel of and expenditure on the Public Service rose from 4577 officers, wiU salaries of JE874.G18, on April 1, 1914,t0 5443 officers, with salaries of &M&& on April 1, 1019—an increase of. 18.9,: >,er cent, in personnel and' 45.39 percent, •n salaries. • This does not include the Post and Telegraph- Department, which may be regarded, for all practical purposes, .as a trading department: nor are the salaries of school teachers, to which considerable additions have been made, included. Tor the current year it is eVident that there will be a considerable ""The recommendations which the Commissioners have, made for years, that every Department should be required to proI ducTan annual balance-sheet in comniercial form, were agreed to by <*»ero.. I ient las t««. and if- an intelligent viewo Hi cost of the Pubic Service fc to be obtained, the information as to saVrhs should be read ir.. coiuunction with the balance-sheets, which are not yet available."
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 285, 26 August 1920, Page 4
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386THE PUBLIC SERVICE Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 285, 26 August 1920, Page 4
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