GOVERNMENT SWEATING.

NZ Truth, Issue 64, 8 September 1906, Page 5

GOVERNMENT SWEATING.

WILFORD WHIPS THE WEARY WILLIES.

Why Night- Work is Necessary.

Too Much Philandering, Afternoon Tea, Betting Excursions, and Haste to the Uashery.

Mr Wilford to ask the Premier, Whether he will at once put a .stop to the imputation of sweating m the Land and Income Tax Department, and demand a cancellation of the order which has been issued compelling the staff to work for four nights a week for three hours without payment of overtime, on the ground that such an example m a Government is pernicious and con^ trary to the spirit of the legislative enactments passed by the late Government - and ratified by the House, and on the further ground that the majority of the men employed m such Department are casuals, and consequently such an order is unjust and oppressive to them ? (30th August.)

The above question was printed on the Order Paper of the 30th August, and an answer was expected on Tuesday last. •'..■•

'•Truth," noticing the question, made some enquiries and found that the allegations made by Mr Wilford were justified and that this practice had been carried on for months, but as soon as the Minister heard of the Hutt Member's Question, he gave instructions that, the order be cancelled at once.

There should be no need for this sweating on the part of the Government if the heads of the Departments did their duty and saw that those under their charge did likewise. From 9 to 5 are the hours the clerks at Government Buildings are supposed to be at their desks ; but how many of them are to be continually sejen m and out, of hotels, bookmaker's offices (on race days) and afternoontea shops ? How much time is wasted conducting raffles, etc.? How many Government clerks act as commissioners for horseowners, help to run clubs, as members of the executive, and how many are secretaries to outside institutions" and do most of the clerical work connected therewith m their employer's time ?

"Truth" could out a dozen clerks (aye,, two or three dozen, m fact) who are regularly half-way home to iheix dinner by the time the clock strijkes 1 p.m., instead of leaving after the tone has died away among the everlasting hills.

When the late Premier was alive he issued instructions to the effect that more attention must be paid to work* and time off for afternoon-tea, etc., must be stopped ; but though this edict did some rood it soon fell into abeyance and was honored more m the breach than the observance, and the original state of things was reverted to. Perhaps if Sir Joseph Wand were to issue a similar order and see that it was carried out, the colony would be tihe richer by it.

Mr Wilford, who has always had a name for being a friend tq the oppressed, might now turn his attention to some of the other Government Departments outside the "Largest Wooden Building" and, if he does, he may be assured that he will find plenty to give him matter for enough questions to furnish the different Ministers with food for study and reflection.

The Government is continually enactin" labor laws to prevent the private employer from sweating his employees, but is, itself, the greatest offender m this direction. Verb sap.