Marlborough Times. MONDAY, JUNE 27, 1881.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume III, Issue 250, 27 June 1881, Page 2

Marlborough Times. MONDAY, JUNE 27, 1881.

In a recent issue our local contemporary published an article, in which it endeavored to prove that the large reductions which have been made in the cost of ork the Civil Service of tl e Colony were more apparent than real. Our contemporary’s reasoning might have been sound had the basis of his argument been correct, but, strange to say, he confined his observations solely to the changes which have been made in this district. Wo arc not surprised at this, for the document from which lie gathered his information is a very bulky one, consisting of lit pages of tabulated matter, and not at all inviting to the ordinary reader. Still we must point out that it was manifestly unfair to proceed to argue from a very small portion of its contents, and especially to select this district as an example of what had been done in this direction. It is a well-known and undisputed fact that Marlborough has been less favored with the patronage of any Government than other districts have. Appointments have not been made in it for mere political purposes, and the Civil servants who hold office in it are fully occupied with their duties, for the execution of which also they are not overpaid. Taking these facts into consideration therefore, we must not be surprised that Government, with ail its desire to economise, found it impossible to make any considerable reduction in Marlborough, and slid lea/e the service in a state of efficiency. One cause which swells the list of Civil s vants in Marlborough is the fact that a large number of telegraphists are . oquL oil in Bltniheim, which town, as is well-known, is the telegraphic transmitting centre of the whole colony, and it was doubtless found that the staff could not be materially reduced. Leaving out the telegraphists therefore, whose employment here may be considered a necessity to the colony as a whole, and not merely a consequence of local requirements, we can safely assert that in respect to other branches of the service, this district is more cheaply and efficiently worked in pro portion to its area and population than any other in Now Zealand. ft is in those districts which have chiefly been distinguished for unswerving fidelity to the extravagant Grey Ministry that we must principally expect to find the greatest reductions have been me ’e by a Ministry which has set itself the unvenviablc task of remedying the errors of its predecessors, and we find this expectation thoroughly borne out by the list our contemporary quotes from. After carefully going through the list we find that the total savings effected under the head of “ dispensed with” and excluding all in which the word “ temporary” precedes the name, amount in round numbers to about .£'Bo,ooo, the reductions in Auckland City alone — the head centre of Sir G. Grey—amounting to .£12,248 11s. In making these reductions, of course it lias, in many cases, been found necessary to dismiss inefficient officials Jand remove others more qualified from other districts to fill their places. Alluding to this feature in the list, our contemporary asserts that in the case of Mr. Chalmers, who has been re moved from Blenheim to Napier, no saving at ail lias been effected. - The

fact that two officials at Napier, of the same status as Mr. Chalmers, have been dispensed with, and that he has taken their place is conveniently overlooked. It is also stated that the salary of the present chief postma "ter at Blenheim, who was recently re noved from Nelson, is higher than that of the former chief postmaster, and our contemporary reasons that here also there has been no saving. It is apparently forgotten that Mr. McAlister lias now to execute doubleduty, having charge of both post and telegraph ofHces, and moreover that no one has been appointed in his stead in Nelson. As a matter of fact it docs not appear upon the list that Mr. Winstanley’s services are dispensed with. His removal was a result of the I3atkin-Secd commission, and the outcome of their tour of inspection has not yet become known to the public in the shape of an official report. We have no objection to our contemporary adopting any form of special pleading in support of the cause he has espoused, but we would prefer to see him, in treating a subject of this kind, take all the facts presented into consideration. In carrying out the work of reform, the Hall Ministry has had to encounter a great amount of opposition in various wavs, and has certainly not added to its popularity amongst those directly or indirectly affected ; and it is but fair that the result of their efforts should not ho misrepresented to the public.