PUBLIC SERVICE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 259, 19 August 1950, Page 5

PUBLIC SERVICE

COMMISSION’S ANNUAL REPORT HOLMES CASE REVIEW (P-A.) WELLINGTON, Aug, 18. The Public Service Commission in its report tabled in the House of Representatives to-day, reviews at some length the case of Mr Cecil Holmes, who was dismissed from the National Film Studios after taking part in a stop-work meeting following a commission, warning that anyone so ceasing duty would be liable to dismissal. The report, discussing the matter under the heading, “The Holmes Case: Probation,” says the action taken was not because of the employee’s membership of the Communist Party, nor was it related to his political views. He was not regarded as a suitable person for employment in the Public Service notwithstanding his admitted technical competence in his work. The Commission’s report, reviewing the past year in the Public Service, says it was one of continuing difficulties and limitations —a shortage of essential staff relative to the expanded tasks of Government administration, a still excessive number of separate departments, poor, inadequate and temporary office accommodation which could be corrected only by putting up new buildings in several centres and housing difficulties which made it unreasonably difficult for officers to put their best into their work and stopped good officers from accepting transfers even on promotion. ' It had been gratifying and hot surprising to anyone familiar with the Public Service that the departmental and , administrative problems involved in the ,change of Government following the general election were satisfactorily met. “In ‘ line with the now well established; tradition the new Government, without a single exception to our knowledge, took over and continued to use the services of all officials who were serving under the preceding Government;” the report adds.