Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1880. THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION REPORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 87, 25 June 1880, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1880. THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION REPORT.

The above report, a, precis of which was published in last issue, has caused considerable discussion throughout the country. The reforms recommended by the Commission are of such a sweeping character, that they could not fail to attract univei'sal attention. It has been the custom with public speakers and the Press, in considering the question of the Civil Service, to deal in generalisms, which make no permanent impression on the public mind. The Commission have knocked generalisms "on the head," by furnishing such an array of hard, dry facts in connection with the subject as afford a clear insight into the enormous maguitude of the lurdeu imposed upon the people of New Zealand by the Civil Service. It is something appalling to know that while the total adult male population of the country capable of active work is only 180,501, the number of persons employed by the Colony, and paid for their services, is 10,858, or in other words, every thirteenth man in the country lives on the people, and contributes nothing to the productive energy of the; Colony. The additional fact is brought' out by the Commission that £1,585,000 is annually sent out of the country to our foreign creditors, in the form of interest on loans, in addition to the ordinary expenses of government, being £11 16&ld per annum for every male adult capable of work ; in other -. words,^each man in the country contributes 4a 6d per head per week to pay interest on loans. Putting the two facts together, — the vast drain upon our resources for interest, and the magnitude of the Civil Service, — every taxpayer will agree with the Commissioners that "economy will in future be severely forced on the Government of this Colony," and that " we ar,e.in iV> position to be liberal either with the number or with the. salaries. .of our Civil servants." " V " ; The principal recommendations of the Commission are — stern retrenchment, dismissal of incompetent and disloyal officers/ amalgamation of offices wherever poßsible,andfnorbugh worgania^iojn th^rwhole. §e?vice. , .Will these^rQcpmniaßd^^pns -be, -carried out ? Will cne Government brave the storm that will gather round their heads if they cany them out, and begin the work of tearing^ up " root and branch" this gigantio tree which

|it#|lly overshadows the land? That tfi^question which forces itself iipoß^om- notice. We fd^ ;^|t iSevel^Bnient of events wilif : 'give an answer to these questions. Already, we fear, the GovernBjent'are sliowing signs^ of timidity ■^^^Steon with the it iswibpered, dissatisfied with the Report, ip consequence of which th# CmHßffiisioners have virtually resigned their office, by handing in the "jjoinmission " entrusted to them. "The sußJ ect Ts^oife beset with: difficulties, and it is doubtful whether any Government which attempted "to -«»wy> ~euk-^te«Bokment to . _tha. extent it needs to be. carried: j bufe> would be able to hold office, so utterly demoralised^^as fee countryfbecome. In the firsk place^-th.e're is" fthe Influence possessed by the. Civil Semcef; itself, :tvhich is. far greater than ip. generally thought. "We. do not refer to" the raulc and file, such as underpaid clerks, :&G.»;>but itrf the " big billets, " which have large salaries attached to them. Directly a step is made to abolish one of these, a tremendous influence is brought to bear upon the Governlneut.. .Friends are invoked to " ap> peal to your member to assist me;" the influence of the permanent ; head of the , department and probably of oiher high Governtnent officials, all is brought to bear on the Government to prevent some wretched fraud on the country being abolished. Then, as regards the public, there is the same Each district admits the necessity for-^etrenchmeot, but wants the retrenchment to take effect in every other district but. itself. If the Government talk of abolishing an offide in a district, the officer's friends all fly to the district member, and beseech him to " oppose any Government that would perpetrate suoh an injustice on the district !" These are one or tw« of the difficulties of the question. Nevertheless, we do not see how the Government can now b'urk the question. In order to relieve themselves of the trouble, worry, and shall we say odium of attackiiig what every one knew should be attacked — the Civil Service — they appointed the Commission to act as "buffers." The Commissioners did their work well, though not able to complete their; investigation. {Never- ! theless, having appointed them to enquire into the question, the Government are morally bound to. stand by the report. If they show " the white feather," and allow themselves to be intimidated into perpetuating the Civil Service in its" present state, they will certainly lose the support of the people. We do not advocate a sudden and violent burst-up of the service, but we think . the removals advised by the Commissions should at once take effect, and that the Government should immediately begin the " weeding-out " process. Mr Bryce has set a good example by the reductions he has made in his department, which certainly was the woist in the service. If the other Ministers follow his example, and steadily pursue a course of retrenchment by amalgamating offices and dismissing unnecessary officials — if, in a word, they follow the advice of the Commission, and " seek men for offices, not offices for men," making their officials work ordinary business hours, and paying them only the market value of their services — they, will gain the applause of a heavily-burdened country. They need be under no fear as to the result. The path of duty is before them. If they adhere to it, the country will support them, and when the next election takes place in 1882 they will receive their r award by a signal triumph. If, on the other hand, they neglect to seize the opportunity of retrenchment afforded by the Civil Service Commission report, and allow things to remain us they are, they will deserve to be immediately driven from the positions they now hold.