ECONOMY REQUIRED.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1921, Page 6

ECONOMY REQUIRED.

INSTRUCTION TO PUBLIC DEPARTMENTS. INCREASE OF EXPENDITURE TO BE CHECKED. The Prime Minister stated in the' south on Monday that he would have something to say very soon about eco--nomies in the Public Service. He mentioned that there was in existence a committee of the heads of Departments to assist him in effecting economies wherever such a course was possible. All the public Departments have been directed lately to. keep down their expenditure. Some of the big increases, caused by advancing wages and salaries and the high cost of supplies, have been unavoidable, but other increases have been due to the growth of staffs, and the attention of heads of Departments has been drawn to this point. Another move in the direction of economy is the issue of an instruction to certain Departments to prepare balance-sheets, such as would .be required of a commercial undertaking. The Departments have been reducing staffs to some extent by dispensing with the services of temporary clerks. An important item in the increase of Departmental expenditure in Wellington has been the hire of buildings and offices. The amount of accommodation used by the Departments has increased very much since 1914, and many high rentals are being paid. There have been rumors lately that drastic economies may be ordered by the Government. No definite move of this nature has been made, but economy in the Piibljc Service is known to have been receiving the attention of the Minister of- Finance and the Departmental heads.