Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1880. THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 26, 30 November 1880, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1880. THE COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS.

We understand the Foxton wharfinger and stationniaster, who was offered the additional appointment of Collector of Customs, has replied to the Government that he is unable to accept the office proposed to be conferred upon him. The reasons for this determination are not of course public, but we presume that Mr Batt ha? at present so many pressing claims upon his time and attention that lie is wisely determined not to take in hand more than he is able to accomplish. The duties of a Customs officer are by no means easy. It is perhaps the most difficult branch of the service, aud only after years of duty iv subordinate positions are promotions usually made to the office of Collector. The gauging of spirits, the checking of values, the holding of marine enquiries in eases of shipping disasters, the compilation of difficult returns, together with the great responsibilities of the office, all point to the necessity of a Collector of Customs being possessed of general experience as well as of special training for the work. Besides this fact, it should be borne in mind that the business at Foxton has been increasing rapidly, and continues to increase. The duty collected at Foxton during the last two mouths falls but little short of the whole amount collected during the September quarter, and that again showed a marked increase upon the previous three months. It would therefore be most injudicious to cramp the place by appointing an officer as Collector of Customs whose duties constantly call him out of his office, as is the case with Mr Batt,whose work appears to be more that of a sub-manager at this end than of a stationmaster aud wharfinger. But another objection we have to the appointment of Mr Batt is that he is a subordinate to another official in the district. No man can serve two masters, nor can any man be his own master and yet the servant of another official. The position would be this. As Collector of Customs Mr Batt would hold a position equal if not superior to that held by the Eailway Manager; as stationmaster and wharfinger he would be under the manager's directions, subject to his orders, and directly answerable to him. On the one hand the public would be demanding his time to pass entries and transact Customs work ; on the other hand, the manager of the railway would rightly insist that the despatch of trains, the berthing of vessels, and the railway work generally had paramount claims upon Mr Batt's attention, and must at all hazards be attended to. It is easy to see how, under such circumstances, any official would naturally attend first to the duties for which he received the largest moiety of his salary, and to the instructions of his immediate superior ; and it is equally plain that such a state of things would give the gravest dissatisfaction to the business public, especially if the rapid growth of the Customs business at Foxton is considered. The simple fact appears to be that whatever amalgamation of offices is made at Foxton, the Collectorship of Customs should be given to an official who isalwaysinhis office, and who is not subordinate to any other officer, except his superiors at Wellington. These reasons point to the course we suggested some time ago, as the most satisfactory one by which retrenchment could be effected. We then said, and we still say, that by the amalgamation of the Post and I Telegraph offices the Foxton Postmaster could be removed. For a considerable time Mr Gannaway and an assistant did the whole of the work

of the "two departments at Foxton } and did it well. Now, if the office of the Collector of Customs were removed to the Tost office, aud the experience of Mr Gaunaway were talten advantage of to sort letters and make lip mails, the whole of the rest of the work — money orders, life assurance, sale of stamps, delivery of letters, &c. — could he done hy the Collector of Customs. There would thus be a division of labour, a large saving would be effected, the public convenience and accommodation would be in every way secured, and the Collector of Customs would remain as at present apart from the direct control of a superior officer in the district. We trust that if any alteration is made some such scheme as that suggested will be adopted. The position of Foxton as a Customs port we regard as one of vast importance in the future, and we are jealous lest any appointment should be made calculated to weaken or damage the advantages now derived, and which will be derived, from having the Custom House at this port.