CLASSIFICATION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14108, 29 July 1911, Page 11

CLASSIFICATION IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.

GENERAL PETfTION SUGGEvSTED.

Yesterday a "Press" reporter had gome* talk with a prominent member of the Canterbury branch of the Zealand Civil .Service regarding the Government s delay in bringing forward a chenie of classification such as had been' promised••ln 190"."' In** said, 'the Public Service' Classification Act was passed, provkling for thf> setting up of a Classifica- j tion Board, whose duty it was to pre- i pare a classification scheme and submit it to the Governor, ou whose approval j it ras to be published in the ''Gazette as a provisional classification. Tho Act provides for classification of the Service iii to three divisions, the officers of the ' second division ('salaries of £."500 ;.___ : under) being divided into eight classes, j The eighth class is composed of officers ' with a minimum .salary of £ 10, rising to £ICiO by oik* annual increment of £30, and six of £15. This class includes ead-t... who at present commence at; £40 per annum, and during the four i jc..rs of their cadetship receive an annual increment of £10. At the end of that timo they are dependent for increases upon the mercy of thoir depart- ■ ment, so that it can be seen readily how they would benefit under a system of classification. Under the present system, after four years' service, a cadet, who would then bo 20 or 21 years of age, would be receiving £80 per annum, while under classification he would rcr-ive £116.

•in February, 1008, a Classification Heard was set up, and some months ago it was announced that a committee of the Board. Messrs Collins, Blow, and Bognen, were completing tho scheme, but so far it has not made its appearance, and there i.s feeling in tho Scrri.- that it is fimo something was done, especially as tho Railway and Port and Telegraph Departments have ken classified for years, and are deriving benefits that are at present denied to the other branches of tho public Service. "The question was discussed at the annual meeting of the local branch of the New Zealand Civil Service Association, which is very active and is keenly alive to the interests of its members, land* ii was decided to bring tho matter under'the notire of the Executive Council in Wellington as one of urgency. At a -iib-cquent meeting of the local committee it was resolved to ask the Executive to have a petition from all Civil Servants in New Zealand prepared, signed, and presented to Parliament, asking that the work of classification should be delayed no longer. Tho other branches of the Association havo been written to asking them to support the proposal. Advice "Has been received that the Otago branch, on Wednesday evening last, passed a resolution with regard to the petition similar to that nhendy sent forward from Canterbury. TV nffjeer. of tho branch are satisfied that if the Civil Servant will only tako ..united action cla*=si .ration will soon become an accomplish*.?! fact.''