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TELEURAAiS.
THE ISLINGTON WORKSHOPS.
- 250 EMPLOYES TO GO.
. v ? &
OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO BE
REORGANISED. "
Adelaide,- February 23.
The Government have long consid
ered the Islington Workshops over
manned, and that in other departments
of the public servicc reforms could be
brought about.
The Chief Railways Commissioner
has begun what is likely to become a
general sifting of the public service.
Mr. Webb is making big changes at
the Islington Workshops, with the ob
ject of bringing about efficiency.
There are temporary as well as-per
manent employes at Islingtonr*ahd
about 260 of the staff in all branches
are under notice of dismissal.
The terms of engagement of tempor
ary employes provide that they may be
put off at any time on a day's notice,
and some of the men are being dis
pensed with this week.
There are permanent employes re
quiring a day's notice, and permanent
clerical and supervisory staff must be
given a month's notice. 'Those who
have to go have been given their
notices. There are 1,850 men engaged
at Islington in all classes of works, and
this number, it is said, will eventually
be reduced to 1,200.
It is claimed that the works will , be
quite "as efficient with the smaller staff
and that there will not be any reduction
of output from the shops. The Chief
Commissioner said the rearrangement
of methods is being made at Islington,
resulting in a reductio.n of,,the. staffs
beginning with the supervisory forces^
and clerical staff, and embracing also?
mechanics.
The Premier (Hon. H. N. Barwell),
when questioned, said-."As . I have
stated on several occasions the Govern-?;
ment are determined that efficiency
shall be promoted and economies ef
fected throughout the service. That
this will necessitate putting off several
hundred men in one department alone
-was a matter that had-to be faced. - I
am sorry for those who are turned out
of employment, but when it is clearly
demonstrated that any department is
overmanned retrenchment will have to
be made. It is not in the Railway ^De
partment alone that reorganisation will
take place; there are other depart
ments of the service to which special
attention is to be directed in the imme
diate future. If necessary reorganisa
tion can be effected by the existing
managerial staffs that will be done, if
not other steps will be taken to bring
about reform." ' .. - 4.'
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