PUBLIC SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 62, 10 September 1912, Page 7

PUBLIC SERVICE

POINTS ABOUT REFORM VIEWS OF THOSE CONCERNED MINISTERIAL INTENTIONS.

Several suggestions from the point of view of tho persons concerned in connection with tho Public Servico Bill were made to the Minister for Justice (the Hon. A. L. Herdman) by a deputation fjjm the Civil Servico Association this morning. Mr. G. Allport (president of the association) said the Civil Service, as represented b,v the association, was very, pleased to see that tho Minister had introduced tho Bill, and trusted that ho would be able during the present session to get it passed into law. There were, however, some points which they desired to bring under the notice of tho Minister. They suggested that a member who used political influence to better his position should not, as under the Bill, bo immediately dismissed, but merely suspended, with a, view to enquiry. The deputation »lso considered that the Chief Commissioner's powers m regard to over-riding the views lot the other Commissioners should be limited by providing that, three days should oe given for consideration before his decision became final. They feared that under the proposals in the Bill the two Assistant Commissioners Wiould be rele> gated to the position of chief clerks or chief assistants to tho Commissioner. The deputation also urged that the Assistant Commissioners' salaries Bhould be raised from £800 to £1000. so as to attract the best talent in the Service, and that full provision should be made for preserving the full rights of the Commissioners under the Superannuation Act. The deputation further suggested that the proposed professional division should be called the "Professional and Technical Division," as tho deputation thought there would bo many officers who would not be "professional." but who would come under the description of "technical." They had also to ask that in the case of appeals the appellant should be allowed to be represented by, agent or counsel, and that it Bhould be' made clear that the Chairman of the Commission shall tiot be eligible for appointment to the Board of Appeal. Another request was that regulations made should bo made not by the Governor, but by tho "Governor-ih-Council" (which means the Government), and that the Bill should be amended bo that its fidelity provisions should not apply, to officers who came under tho Government Officers Guarantee Act. The Minister : The whole of the provisions of the Government Officers Guarantee Act will bo included in tho Bill. Mr. Allport said the deputation asked that the Bill should be amended so as to provide that medical examination be only required before entry into tho Borvice and not before examination ; and that the Bill should more clearly define "public works or scheme" in connection with which appointments coold bo made outside the Commissioners. Tho clause, they considered, might, aa drafted, lead to abuse; it might be used as an excuse for getting certain person? into the service. The deputation also asked that the Bill should bo amended so as to allow public officers to hold unpaid offices (such as secretary of a bowling or cricket club) outside the service; and that provision should be made for the recognition of examinations already patssed by officers, Bitch as junior, matriculation, accountancy, and bo on in grading and promoting officers. Another request was that provision should be made for tho transfer of an officer fcotn the clerical to the professional division. In the case of complaints against an officer the deputation asked that evidence Bhould be taken on oath 2 so as to prevent an officer being condemned merely upon hearsay evidence. In the case of a vacancy m a higher position or grade, whether in the same department or not, they asked that provision should be. made for notifying officers of a vacancy, so that they might be afforded an opportunity of applying for it. As to the schedule of salaries, tho deputation contended that it was not so favourable as the schedule in the Bill introduced by Mr. Herdman in 1909, and that it took longer to reach tho higher salaries. The deputation admitted, however, that tho schedule gave better salaries than that laid down by the Classification Board. The depute* tion asked that the retiring ago Bhould be fixed at 65.