RETRENCHMENT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1416, 13 February 1873, Page 2

RETRENCHMENT.

[to the editor.] Sir — In reference to the subject touched upon by " Observer" on Monday moraing, namely, the proposed reductions in the Westland Civil Service, more especially in the constabulary force, 1 trust you will find room for the following remarks, showing how unfairly those reductions will press if the report of the committee is adopted in toto. The force consists at present of 25 members, and it 'is ample proof of the ridiculous system, or no system, on which |it has been organised in the past, to state that of these twenty-five no less than eleven are officers, whilst fourteen only are privates. Surely so great an absurdity is too palpable to need comment ; plain enough, we might have supposed, to have pierced even the fog which enshrouds a Committee of the County Council. And yet, wonderful to relate, the members of that Committee were unable to see that there was a glaring disproportion between the relative numbers of officers and men, for, according to its recommendation, >the force is now to be reduced to twenty-one members, of whomgnineare to be officers and twelve privates. Now, sir, the ques- ( tion is, what do all these officers do to render themselves so indispensably necessary to the due maintenance of law and order, amongst such order-loving communities as those of this coast. To take ; the. tallest poppy first — Is there any reason whatever for retaining the services of an Inspector here? To refer to the pastCan it be affirmed that the police duties were less efficiently discharged before an Inspector was appointed than they are now? No impartial person can answer this in the affirmative, and yet all. that time the population was thicker and more unsettled ; their duties, consequently, far more onerous. Nevertheless the constabulary under charge of a second-class sergeant were able to do all that was needful and to give popular satisfaction. I would therefore suggest that this officer be dispensed with, or, at least, that in consideration of the . diminution in his labors, he should be reduced to suit the times and be reconverted into a sergeant. Precisely the same remarks are applicable to the inspector in Hokitika, nor could it be regarded as in any way unjust, if the principle of retrenchment was applied also . to the salary of the Commissioner, and a reduction of LSO effected. But when the pay of the privates is reduced by Is per diem, while that of the head of the force remains untouched, the injustice, not to use any stronger expression, is self-evi-dent. For if so many officers are required to supervise the amount of work done by the men, it is inconteatible that the latter must have well-earned their remuneration, whereas, if the men's labors are not sufficient to keep so many officers in full employment, surely the superfluous dignitaries could and should be dispensed with or reduced,. By the reductions I propose, and s,etr ting a sergeant's salary at L2OO per annum, the saving effected would be L2BJ3 per annum, and all appearance of paltriness would be avoided. On the other hand, by the wonderful shilling a day proposed by the Committee, a saving of L2l9|per annum would be effected^and the Council's fame of being one of the most niggardly ruling bodies on the broad earth be established upon a lasting basis. Bjr ray proposal moreover, the pay of the privates would be maintained at a standr ard sufficient to enablp them to meet those incidental expenses which unavoidably fall upon persons seeking for information injany case, but which cannot well be charged against a Government. You will understand, Sir, the class of disbursements to which I allude, and will know how entirely dependent upon his ability, to make such disbursements, the inquirer frequently is, more particularly in golddigging interests. By depriving the constables of this power the Government is standing in the way of the discovery and successful prosecution of crime. I am, &c, Sauok for the Gander.