PENSIONS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 489, 16 July 1890, Page 4

PENSIONS.

We have on previous occasions strongly protested against the iniquitous system of granting fat pensions to retired Government servants. The pension system is presumably dead under the present Civil Service regulations, but a disposition is manifested from time to time to revive it in one ehape or another, and there is no absolute guarantee against the perpetration of anomalies similar to those which have disgraced the whole system in the pa3t. Tho only sure preventive is tho creation and maintenance of a vigorous public opinion. We have used the term “ fat pensions ” advisedly, for we are by no means opposed to the payment of moderate pensions in really deserving and exceptional cases ; but as a general principle Government servants should be fairly well paid while in actual service, and left, as in the case of an ordinary nonGovernmental employee, to inako provision for the future out of his regular earnings. If there must be a pension system, howover, the very greatest care is required to prevent ib unjustly trenching upon the public funds, and eacli grant should be subjected to the most rigid scrutiny. The colony has still to meet its engagements under tho old Civil Service Acts, and the most noticeable addition to the ranks of the pensioners, created by this pernicious legislation, is that of Major Campbell, late cl6rk of the House of Representatives, who retires upon the nice yearly cloceur of £466 133 4d This is a glaring imposition upon the public funds, and it would puzzle any Government to justify the grant. “To him that hath shall be given ” appears, however, to be the guiding principle in these precious annual gifts. Our readers will remember that when the retirement of Major Campbell was announced to tho House at tho beginning of the present session, the Speaker and several members highly praised the Major for the manner in which he had fulfilled the duties of his position ; and we do nob wish to detract from the eulogies in the least. At the same time one is impelled to ask, “ Was not Major Campbel’ well paid for performing his duties?” He is a very stupid man who, with a good salary to stimulate him, will not seek to give satisfaction to his employers ; and we venture to assort that there are plenty of competent men who would be only too glad to jump into the Clerkship of the House at a lower figure than the Major received, entirely apart from any prospective pension. Let the render ponder this case of Major Campbell’s. For 35 years he received a good annual salary, and as a provident man he would naturally set aside a considerable portion of his income each year against the proverbial “ rainy day.” Without wishing to bo unnecessarily personal, wc cannot forbear conjecturing that the Major has “ put by ” a very tidy amount in the course of that 35 years ot office ; at any rate, he ought to have saved sufficient capital to return a comfortable income for the rest of his days. Bub, as if to encourage their servants to live in dashing and luxurious style, and thus get through their whole income, the Government settle upon the Major the nice little allowance of £466 13s 4d per year—right down to the odd 13s 4d. This means £9 a week, quite apart from the Major’s private resources. Many people will be cruel enough to say that £9 a week is nearly as much as should be piid for the actual performance of tho Clerk dutic-e. Even this princely pension, however, is nob deemed sufficient, for wo are told that it is proposed to translate tho Major to that peaceful retreat, the Legislative Council, which means another £IOO a year. Should this last step be negotiated, Major Campbell will receive the consoler of £566 a year, or about £ll per week, from the public purse, to say nothing of his private nest egg. The fact that the Major gave the colony 35 years of valued servico, only adds force to our contention ; for the longer a man is in a highly remunerative position, the larger should his savings become. Altogether, this precious pension system has proved an unmitigated imposition upon tho colony ; and Major Campbell is nob tho only man who has come in for unwarranted favour—there have been many others. So far as the country has been committed to these payments, we suppose we must grin and bear it; but any attempt to continue or extend tho system will certainly meet with a pretty rude rebuff. Auckland ‘Star.’