POLITICAL CONTROL.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 87, 12 April 1922, Page 10

POLITICAL CONTROL.

: ' CONTJEBSXED BY KDBI/IC SERVANTS. SA.VMAI, MEETTNIR OF ASSOPIATKTN Z i Member.- of the Auckland branch o Public Service Association last ever jug held their annual meeting , . Mr. 11 jW. ('. Mackintosh presided. - Amongst other things the report deal iwith "Plie question of Commitsione "versus political control. The. repor 3u.ated in this connection t-haL "durin recent session there wae introduce Parliament a bill dealing: wit amendments to the Public Trust Aci Jnne of the clauses in which was to tak s>ut of the hands of the Public Bervic the appointment of deput Jriiblic trustees. As this was v. direc infringement upon the purposes of th public Service A«,-t, your executive immc ■diately took T.he, matter up. and set Jional committee* were advised of th 3>osition and requested to 1 ake. actioi VVs non-political control oi the service i tine of our main planks, your cotnmitte* sifter consideration of the propose l segi»lation, telegraphed tho Prime- Minis a.er and each member of Parliament witl 3n our district, strongly objecting to i h Jnopoeed alteration. As a result of th representations made by xli.- executiv and the joint action of tie sectional com raittees. the clause, at the request of ill' ■Minister in charge of the bill, was no proceeded with. The thin end of th' wedge an regards nonpolitical conlro had already been introduced into the set vice, and on this occasion it is pleasinj to note that those responsible for thi proposed alteration in #o far as i affected this one department were de fearted in their effort* to further increasi the disadvantages whicTi would result ti the -Public Service from a wholesale Tβ adoption of the system of political con irol. a system which has been <t>nsis tently condemned by the Public Servici Association." Other activities of the branch wen dealt with at length in the annual re port. A branch was formed at Whanga rei. and was doinjr well: and various branches succeeded in obtaining certair jnodifkatione to the Public Service Ad justment Act- The report also referrec to the "'second cut," to take place ii iltiry next, pointing out that it is t< oe governed by the cost of living at thai date, "whioh in all probability will not have dropped to 42 per cent." "It is ■possible,' , added the report, "that t-hc executive will 'have ; the same tight; ovei again." Appreciation o£ the fact, that the Auckland police had decided in favoui of remaining in the Association wae alec expressed in the report, together with a liope that members of the service in Auckland who did not belong to the Association would join up during the year. ; Subsequent to this meeting the execu Jive met and re-elected ~Mr. H. W. C Jlackintosh chairman and Mr. G. McJCessar vice-chairman. The resignation of the secretary (Mr. A. H. "Blackburn) was received with regret, and a subcommittee appointed to seek and congider applications for the position.