FROM THE WATCH TOWER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 97, 15 July 1927, Page 8

FROM THE WATCH TOWER

By “THE LOOK-OUT MAN” AyOTHER TRADE SECRET One b.i»one these trade secrets leak out. There was, tor Instance, the case investigated this week by the Police Court, in which a youthful grocer who had been “christened” with copyingink sued his “baptisers” for assault. In extenuation, Mr. Dickson, defending the gay grocers who had applied the ink, stated that the “christening” operation was not uncommon and had been performed hundreds of times in Auckland. It might be so, but one never hears the “converts” boasting about it. It seems a silly thing that a grocer can’t be a grocer until he’s been stripped and painted with purple ink. Still, as one of the fraternity philosophically observed, it might be worse —the “christening” might be done with treacle, for instance. * * * BREADTH OF MIND One cannot help admiring the broadmindedness of our politicians. Now, there is Mr. J. A. Nash, who represents Palmerston. Mr. Nash has announced in the House, that, even if he agreed with the suggestions of the Labour Party, he would walk out of the Chamber rather than vote with them. “I adopted this attitude last year,” he said (referring to his attitude in connection with amendments to the Dairy Control Bill), “and I shall do it again this year.” This is on a par with the man who would shoot himself because he hates the director of the insurance company in which his life is heavily insured. Supposing Palmerston is badly smitten by flood, Are or epidemic, and the Labour Party proposed that Parliament should vote a large sum of money for the relief of its people, Mr. Nash would vote against the proposal! Men with political minds like that of Mr. Nash are indeed an acquisition to Parliament, tending greatly to maintain peace between parties and to promote legislative harmony. SHORTAGE OF PUBLIC SERVANTS Lord Apsley asks in the House of Commons: “Is it a fact that the New Zealand Government is short of trained civil servants? Could we not assist them?” Yes, M’Lord. Very short, sir. Send us out a few thousand. We have only 12,788 permanent officers (drawing about £3,500,000 annually in salaries and wages) in the Railway Department, and these are assisted by a mere handful of 5,000 temporary employees. The Post and Telegraph Department struggles along with as few as 7,835 permanent officers and 2,549 temporary assistants, who cost but £2,000,000 a year to maintain. Other Government departments have to get along somehow with 7,365 officers between them—a real shame! They have to share a pay-roll of but £2,000,000. Then there are the few employed by the Public Works Department—7,ooo odd at the most. The whole of the civil sei-vice, including the officers of local bodies, has a personnel of only 60,000, who are paid the paltry sum of about £19,000,000 a year to serve a population of 1,500,000. Yes; let’s have a few more, M’Lord!