The Repatriation Department.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1922, Page 4

The Repatriation Department.

APPRECIATION AND ADMONITION

(Contributed). In the public acr-cunts foi 1 tl:o litntncinl year ended March .'list last, and particularly in the accounts lor the concluding quarter of the year, there aie encouraging indications of the operation of -Mr .Massey’s economising activities. The savings are not large m themselves, but they represent a beginning in the very necessary work of ietrenchment, and inav he accepted as an earnest of the Prime .Ministers determination to redeem his undertakings in this respect. But some difficult pro- | (denis still lie before the .Minister, and in dealing with these he will _ require ad the assistance lie can obtain from a sober, well-considered public opinion founded on a knowledge of the tacts. Publicity always should lie a help m such matters. During the war period and Die yearsfollowing immediately upon tne <u " elusion of peace, the Government louml it desirable, even necessary, to create a number of supplementary or aiiMhary departments in the Public Service. Hie existing departments already were overburdened by additional work arising out of the war' conditions, and many ot them were carrying on with reduced or less efficient stall's, owing to the contributions they had made in men to the forces in the field. In these circumstances the Government hail no choice in the matter. To secure the highest possible measure of administrative efficiency, to meet the country’s obligations to the men who had gone to the front, and to satisfy the other needs of tlie situation it had to set up these auxiliary departments. i It was never intended, however, taut these departments should become permanent additions to.the administrative machinery of the Dominion. Jliis point was made quite clear when the legislation necessary for their creation was passing throng’ll Parliament. Put the prolongation ol the war and the importance of the functions they discharged tended to establish them in the official mind as institutions that would have to he maintained at least for a number of years. They built up separate spheres and iiidentities of then own, carried through large operations and even laid claim to traditions. ImRepatriation Department is a case in point and may he taken as an example. This department has done a very large amount of work, .and, oil the whole, has done it very well. According to ils latest report it has assisted 20.723 Veturned soldiers with loans, 11,781 with grants and 27,392 with help towards obtaining employment. All this has been accomplished by an expenditure of L'2,22l ,890 and of this sum £973.18(1 has been repaid, leaving an amount of Dl, -■ > 1 ,710 owing at the end of April last. This on the face of it is a very creditable record, though, of eours.i.'it "'mains to ho seen how nim-h of the balance v. ill I"’ repaid and what the actual cost of administration lias been.

The disturbing feature of the pasituu however, is an apparent disposition D contimie the separate existence of tl l department ami lo saddle it upon l ciHintrv as a periaaiient institution. I was folly < -;poi toil that all Heed I'oi i special department to attend to tin needs of returned soldiers would eeasi within two years ol the Armistice. Hu the world is now well on in the loiutl voar of peace—so lai' as the (-real V. a is concerned—and New Zealand still i maintaining (he Repatriation Depart luenl with much of its original oipiip ir,eni to perform duties which the per iiianenl, departments are rpiite iapahl of undertaking at a fraction of tin present cost and ol discharging "i' l salisfaetion to the returned soldiers an to Ihe community at largo. It is under stood that representations have heei made to this elicit, hut hy some mean: the i’opat rial ion Department has man

aged to ictain its independent exist cnee and so delay the icalisation of : very necessary economy.

No one wishes to forget the country - sacred obligations to the returned soldiers or to under-rat" the good work done by the Repatriation Department in assisting towards the dischaige of this obligaiioi); but i| is beyond all reason-

able dispute that this work now could le don - equally well by tie permanent departments and at a eery largely reduced cost. It is easy to lollow the ( npital expenditure of the Repatriation Department, but precise figures as to it* cost of administration are not avail-

able. It tins been estimated, However, that the discontinuance of the lot el offices and district cumuli!tecs and thtransfer of the whole of the administrative work to the permaiienl departments probably would result ill a saving of many thousands a year. It seems to have been generally recognised for some time past that t?io need for this special organisation laid ceased. .More than once it has been announced that the time had arrived lot the division of its duties among the permanent departments capable of discharging them satisfactorily, and now it is reported that steps will he taken ill this direction at the end ol the current month. Hut in view of the tenacity and measure of success with which the Department lias clung to its independent status and admini.-tiative privileges it seems highly desirable that public opinion should continue to make itsell heard on the subject. To reiterate what already has been said, there is no suggestion that the host interests ol the returned soldiers should he neglected. The country’s contract, expressed or implied, must he performed. Hut neither the returned soldiers nor the general public can benefit 4>y the continuance of unnecessary administrative machinery and the wasie it involves. Thoroughly efficient, service and truly economical administration are among the principal means by w hich relief will ho brought to the whole community.