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made have been cancelled and development which could
by any reasonable means be postponed has been suspended with a consequential reduction of the extra staff that
would have been required.
But the special effort at Retrenchment of Personnel now required needs close and prolonged study,
with a perspective not limited to the inside of
Government offices: and the Retrenchment Commission as
constituted is particularly well qualified for this work, and can be depended upon to do it thoroughly. Questions of personnel have therefore largely been left over for the time: but new appointments have been avoided, and limited contracts are not being extended to permanent service, wherever it has been possible to follow this
line. And meanwhile close touch is being maintained
with the Retrenchment Commission.
Retrenchment on other heads of Expenditure
however is another matter: as Hon. Members will have
occasion to notice when I come to deal with Public
Works Recurrent and Public Works Extraordinary especially.
I should like to dispel at this stage any idea
that the duty of retrenchment is in any way the prerogative of a commission specially appointed for this
purpose. Every year the smallest details of each department's estimates are scrutinised with the greatest
care