PUBLIC SERVICE CHANGES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 155, 13 May 1909, Page 2

PUBLIC SERVICE CHANGES.

The Prime Minister informed a Press representative on Tuesday that the Government had already saved £187,000 per annum in the remodelling of the Public Service. This was not in salaries alone, money having been saved in other directions than by the retirement of officers.

A further series .of rearrangements was announced by Sir Joseph Ward as follows: —Mr J. Eman Smith, Registrar of Old Age Pensions, has retired from that position, and will become Resident Commissioner at Cook Islands.

Lieut.-colonel G F. C. Campbell, late Valuer-General, will take charge of the State Fire Insurance Department.

The Inspector-generalship of Forcer, in the absenec of Colonel Davies in London for twelve months, will not be specially filled, the Government having withdrawn the temporary appointment of Lieut.-colonel Campbell to that position.

The position of Chief Health Officer is to be abolished, and Dr Mason will visit London for twelve months on special work for tbe Government. The Public Health and Hospitals and Charitable Aid Departments will come under the administration of the Internal affairs Department, of which Mr Hugh Pollen is Under Secretary. Mr D. Soufcer, chief clerk of the Mental Hospitals Department, will be placed in direct control of that Department and also the Hospital and Charitable Aid and Public Health Departments as a branch of the Internal Affairs Department.

Mr F. S. Pope, Secretary for Agriculture, becomes general manager of the Touirst Department, with Mr C. R. C. Robieson, formerly chief clerk, in direct charge of that section of tbe Agricultural Department's responsibilities as director of tourrist and health resorts.

It is not intended to fill the position of the late Mr H. J. Matthews, Chief Forester.

Mr H. A. Goudie, nurseryman in charge of the Rotorua plantations, is to take charge of forestry operations in the North Island, and Mr R. G. Robinson, •nurseryman in charge at Tapanui, will take over the South Island section of the work.

The Valuation Department has passed under the control of Mr P. Heyes, Commissioner of Taxes. Mr A, E. Fowler, formerly chief clerk, has joined the Audit Department. Dr Mason when in England, will investigate the complaints about the condition of boned meat sent from New Zealand to England, and inquire into certain criticism concerning some o? the Dominion's frozen products. He will also examine English emigrants before their departure for New Zealand so as to prevent people suffering from disease coming out.