“INACCURATE?”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 796, 17 October 1929, Page 11

“INACCURATE?”

REPLY TO CRITICISM OF P. AND T. DEPARTMENT

BIAS SUGGESTED “If Mr. Gilberd can err so widely in his reference to the Post and Telegraph Department, we can assume that the rest of his statistics are inaccurate and unreliable.” This is the reply by the Auckland Telegraph Economic Committee to the criticism by Mr. W. J. Gilberd, Wanganui, of the cost of Government departments. During the conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce Mr. Gilberd severely criticised the large increase in both staffs and costs of all Government dejjartments since 1913-14. Included in the statement issued by the committee are figures showing that 50 years ago the salary of the chief postmaster at Auckland was £SOO and that today it was only £790 10s. During 1928-29 period the cash transactions of the department were £219,425,000, or a rough average of over £20,000 an officer. The-committee states: —“It would be interesting to know the source of Mr. Gilberd’s figures, which not only are misleading, but also are presented in such a manner as to suggest bias. “Quoting from the Postmaster-Gen-eral’s annual reports for the years 1914 and 1929, the actual figures are as follow: Permanent Year. Staff. Salaries. Receipts. 1914 .. 8,136 £747,648 £1,359,059 1929 .. 10,623 £1,633,989 £3,445,545 “Mr. Gilberd says that last year’s staff totalled 10,013 ; which underestimates the staff total by 610. The actual increase between the years 1914-29 is 2.457, and not 4,600, as stated by Mr. Gilberd. “In connection with salary Increases Mr. Gilberd’s inaccuracy is more glaring and he overestimates the post and telegraph salary bill for 1929 by £1,417,941. Such a wide error is unworthy of such a highly-respected institution as the Associated Chambers of Commerce in conference. The figures from the annual report of the Post-master-General narrow down the salary increases of the Post and Telegraph Department to £886,341 for the period 1914-29. The actual increase of staff works out at 30.5 per cent, and the increase of revenue earned at 154 per cent. Of course, the personnel of the Public Service can be reduced, but only with a consequent curtailment of social facilities. It is absurd to think that a reduction in such facilities would for a moment be tolerated.”