NORTHERN TERRITORY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1920, Page 3

NORTHERN TERRITORY.

JUS)GE SWING'S REPORT. By TelesT.il\ ._p re j 3 Assn.—Copyrtebt, Melbourno, April 30. Judge Ewmg'a Tt! p oTt on the Northern Territory severely criticises the administration in Mfcibotirne, and finds that too little attrition had been given to many weU»ftf| lni i e( i complaints on the part ot ry/idents, and to many repremade through official chanWtli.'regard to the deportation o he cowsudfrs there was a pood deal of 'provocation, which goes far to extenuate, J n °t actually to justify, the unusual form of protest adopted. He states that one of the deported officials was riot responsible for the outbreak and that the other two were largely the victims of circumstances. Severe strictures, however, are passed on certain incidents in the Gilruth administration. He comments on the Rormula case of locking up Native witnesses in Fanny Bay gaol with murderers and lunatics, on the strange mediavcl system under which persons were imprisoned for debt, and on the appointment of officials to positions and duties of which they were utterlv ignorant. He considers the lack of system and generally happy-go-lucky method far more to blame than any evil or malicious .intention on the part of individuals.

[ thus subjecting them to treatment such as they have received from no previous holder of the office. In addition to the foregoing there is the question of classification, which as at present defined has aroused considerable hostility, and many men have been leaving the department every month. The Secretary of the Association, in a statement made at the meeting, claimed that the bonus of 20 per cent, offered in respect of a 62 per cent, rise in the cost of living (which he considered had risen to 100 per cent.) was too low. Practically the men ask for a living •wage, and with this request the public will assuredly be in sympathy. Those who know the P. and T. officers best will bear testimony to their loyalty and patience, and though there may be some extremisst in the ranks who talk of direct action, they are the exception. It is to the credit of this large public staff that they have cheerfully met all emergency demands on their services, also that they are championing the cause of the lower grade members. Their sympathy with the railwaymen is quite intelligible under the circumstances, and in both eases remedies for grievances can be found and applied without any difficulty. The Government cannot come to terms with the railwaymen and ignore the demands of the P. and T. service when means are available for giving all public servants a square deal. Most people recognise how .largely they are dependent on both services and how necessary it is that in order to ensure efficiency and reliability all causes for disaffection should be removed. The P. and T. Association has demanded an interview with the Government regarding increased pay, war bonus, and other matters. They are entitled to be heard sympathetically and courteously, and all reasonable claims met fairly and justly, and the sooner this is done the better will the public be pleased, for they hold the members of the service in high esteem, and would undoubtedly support their efforts to secure fair treatment.