CO129-489 - Governor Sir Stubbs & Sir Clementi - 1925 [8-12] — Page 413

Į

12

could possibly be done although I realised

it was a move in the right direction. I do not think there is any great magic in knowing how much the clerks in one department cost in any one year, because you may have clerks in lower grades one year and in higher grades the next. A clerk may grow up in the Service and reach his highest grade, but his succes-

Bor

may only be a third class clerk although suitable for the position. The same work would then be done at a lower rate. You cannot say that the clerical service of one department is going to cost so many thousand dollars and that it is necessary to spend that amount of money to get the work done efficiently.

If you get a clerk who is particularly good, he may work up from $1,200 a year to $3,000. He goes on doing the same work because his knowledge is essential to that depart- ment. But, later on, when he is re-placed on retirement probably by someone else in the same department, the whole cost is altered without necessarily any reduce tion in efficiency.

TRADE STATISTICS.

It is a matter of regret that the statis- tical department of the Imports and Exports Office has been for the time being abandoned. I may say and I think the hon. Senior Unofficial member knows- that there Was no great enthusiasm shown by those for whom the returns were particularly drawn up. If you enquired from the Superintendent he will tell you' that they were not regarded as of very great value, and although we obtained annual results showing the trade of the Colony it is doubtful whether these re- sults were really correct. They were based on information supplied by ship- pers. They looked very nice and those persons who like to see everything or- ganised to this extent will, perhaps, think it a great loss that these returns are not now available. The work to be done necessitated the employment of a great many clerks at comparatively low salaries. It was practically a mechanical process and could not be done with less clerks than those employed. You either had to have all of them or none at all.

LABOUR REGISTER.

With regard to the register, of the value of which hon, members have had practical experience, that will, of course, be main- tained by the Police but it is not neces- sary to show any special sub-department for this work. An adequate staff will keep that register up-to-date because the Government and the community realise it is an extremely valuable one, and experi- ence has shown in what way it can be enlarged so as to add to its use.

REDUCTION OF STAFF.

It has been necessary, of course, in view of the economies which we hope to effect, to reduce to some extent the staff of senior officers, particularly in the Public Works Department, but great care has been taken not to terminate the employ- ment of any officers whose services may be required in the event of certain works being resumed. We have been particu- larly careful of that. It is extremely difficult to get sufficient officers for certain work and, therefore, when we have them after long waiting it is disappointing to have to get rid of them. I can assure hon. members that great care has been taken in going through the establishment and we have not terminated the employ- ment of any senior officer or European- overseer unless it would be absolute waste of money to continue his services.

We' have really strained the question to some extent and have retained some officers whose services will only be required if work is resumed which at present does not appear in the estimates

408