OVER 17,000.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 193, 17 August 1939, Page 19

OVER 17,000.

PUBLIC SERVANTS.

ACTIVITIES OF STATE. COMMISSIONER'S- REPORT. (By Telejpraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON", Wednesday. A total of 17,240 persons is employed in the Public Service of New Zealand, according to figures, given in the annual report of the Public Service Commissioner, which was presented in the House of Representatives yesterday. The number is an increase of 7300 on the 9850 employed at the end of March, 1930, and excludes the Post and Telegraph and Railways Department*. •

The Commissioner, Mr. T. Mark, who divides the_ service into social, development, trading and administrative services, says that the comparative figures are illuminating in that they indicate that the increases which have taken place in the social and trading services are proportionately greater.

"From figures recently published," said the Commissioner, "it is noted that the staff of the Railways Department increased from 15,410 in 1931 to 25,297 in 1939—an increase of approximately 04 per cent.

When it is remembered that a certain proportion of the increase in the staff of the Public Service is the result of new activities assumed by the Government, such as broadcasting, primary products marketing, commercial broadcasting and air departments, it is considered that the growth in the services controlled by the commissioner is not out of proportion to the expansion of State services generally. A point not generally realised k 'that most Acts passed by the Legislature directly or indirectly add to the number of public servants."

Men from Overseas. Tlio development of the activities of tl:e State in certain directions, states the report, lias made it essential to seek overseas for men with special training and experience which could not be secured in this country. There were three main causes why offers of appointments were rejected by overseas specialists—the iimitations of the present pensions scheme, the difference between sterling and New Zealand currency, and the lower standard of remuneration for the more senior professional officers that obtained generally in the New Zealand service.

The report states that 20 appointments of aliens were made during the year either because the appointees had special qualifications or because the supply of persons with adequate qualifications was not large enough in New Zealand to fill existing vacancies. In all cases the appointments were to temporary staffs so that the rights of present members of the service were not affected.