AMALGAMATION OF OFFICES.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 160, 20 February 1869, Page 4

AMALGAMATION OF OFFICES.

We take the following frpm the Evening Star, showing how. the Otago Government propose to retrench the expense of governing their province. Since our correspondent, “ Vinegar Point,” broached a similar notion in Marlborough the idea has been discussed by many persons, not excluding Government officials, who as a rule consider any amalgamation (of course) impossible : “We understand that the Provincial Government has at length begun to use the pruning knife with no unsparing hand. We only hope that, in such a thorougli cutting down of establishments as is now taking place, the efficiency of the public service may not bo impaired. It is clear that, if efficiency can be maintained with the greatly reduced staff, either the establishment must have been really overmanned heretofore, the system unnecessarily complicated, or the officials who are retained must work double tides. We understand that henceforth the hours are to he extended whenever there is work to be done, and the services of each official are to be generally available irrespective of his own particular department. - In short, departmental distinctions are as far as possible to be dispensed with, and the Government officers placed upon.a similar fooling to a merchant’s or banker’s office. The whole of the public business is to be conducted as practicable in one room—-the large hall. Among the various items of retrenchment tve believe the following may be enumerated The Land Department is to be under the charge ot the Chief Surveyor, the Chief Cletk to the Treasury to attend also to the Land Department, of which he is also Chief Clerk. The separate books now kept in various departments to be all kept the Treasury, and the Treasury is to be opened for making payments only two days in the week. The General Road Board Department is also to be dispensed with, and the clerical duties performed by the Clerk to the Executive Council ; Xhe Rojwi Survey to be under tho Chief Surveyor of the Province, ! .

The Survey Department is to be reduced by £fjooo a jear.

Tlie Commissionar of Police will further reduce ids department to the tune ol ,£2OOO a year, besides the £IOOO yearly lately siyed by the police conveying some of the inland mails. The Roads ami Works Department, is cut down to the extent of £llOO a year, and.is to consist of one chief and three district-engineers. -'We understand that Mr. Barr, an officer who has been some lime in the service, is promoted to be.'chief; The Immigration Department is abolished.

Provincial Solicitor’s Clerk, also Clerk andrStorekeeper to the Dunedin Gaol, to be dispensed with. There are sundry other reductions pending, particulars of which we are unable to give. Altogether the province will affect a saving of some £I2OOO a year.