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Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1927, Page 2

Wiikn sneaking on the third reading of the Public Service Amendment Bill, and dealing with the complaint as to the inordinate size of the public service. Mr Coates. Prime Minister, said in view of the suggestion as to the service Hieing unwieldy, he had set to work to get some information as to the size of tho different departments, and the changes from year to year up to date, hut the figures were not vet available. The statement that tlio

service was becoming huge was (piite incorrect, and the suggestions gonerallv regarding its growth seemed to lie grossly exaggerated in many cases. Many people seemed to say that the country to-day was over-weighted and over-run with public servants from one end to the other. “It is easy,” added the Prime Minister “'to make that .statement., hut it is a different matter when you check it up. The statement is incorrect, hut. if this country is overburdened with pid Tie servants tn-dny, il comes right hack 1 > Ike question of whether the Slate is involved in more than it ought lo he. and whether we should have Slateowned railways or not. T remember when the Railway Department had only about 8000 men in il altogether, and to-day there arc between 16,000 and 18,000.” Continuing, tho Prime Minister referred to the last combing out of the Public Service, and asked how many were combed out when the lest was applied. There had been some talk about the saving in the number of employees that could he brought about by tho amalgamation of Departments. There were, however, some amalgamations that had brought about no reduction in the staffs at all. They had to ascertain how many of the officers in the Dcpnlrmcnts in which amalgamation was proposed could he dispensed with. “Quite recently,” said Mr Coates, “we have gone through the Departments, with an idea of finding out where savings could he effected. It is always necessary to keep a watching, eve on the position . . . AA’o have a periodical stocktaking, and committees are set up from time to time to watch where increases have taken place. Oiir Departments have grown tremendously in the past three years. AA'e have been passing through rather difficult times. Unemployment Inst winter was prettv had, and it is not very much hetr.'v to-day, and the Departments r ou!d not he expected to cope with all the unemployed, and it is possible that in this there may lie found a reason for the increase in the overhead costs of the Departments concerned. 1 doubt whether the State could have done other than what it did, ami it was the plain duty of our people to assist the State to carry a burden which they would have had to pay for in other ways As far as the Public Service is concerned, I am .sure that it compares favourably with that of any other country. AA’e have every reason to he pleased with the intelligence, education, and capacity of tho civil servants of New Zealand, with the interest they display in their work and the attention they give to it.” The Bill passed its third reading.