EXPLANATION BY THE MINISTER.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14304, 15 March 1912, Page 7

EXPLANATION BY THE MINISTER.

(PBESS ASSOCIATION TELBCSUJt.) WELLINGTON. March 14. To a ."Post" representative to-day, tlio Hon. I). Buddo, Minister of Internal Affairs, mid chairman of the Classification Board, indicated ♦■Hβ limited powers of the Board in drawing up tho general classification schemo ftii* tho Civil Service—the scheme to which so much objection has boon taken by officers or tho Public Service. Tho Minister stated that tho Board had dovotcd an immense ainouut of timo to tho work, and a committee had gour* carefully into tho recommendations of tho licad of ovory department, and had Arrived at what they considered correct and just conclusions in respect to all concerned, thut is, taking; into consideration tho provision of tho Classification Act and tho salaries authorised by Parliament for officers in tho various departments. In yesterday's "Post" tho viown of members of tho Public Service wero summarised in respect to tho proposed treatment by classification of officers lit certain departments. For instanco, objoctioa was taken to tlw nimseßtid establishment of eight classes •under tbt* second division. The Minister, in rojily to this objection,'quoted Section 5 of. tho Act, which says: "All positions l>olonging to the second division shall bo classified into eight classes, with tho maximum and minimum limits of salary and tho nnntial increments 'sot out in the second schedule thereto." In _ arranging tha classes in tho second division, tho Hoard, as indicated by tho Minister, woro limited by Section 5 and tho second echodule, which provide* for eight classes, fixos tho minimum and maximum salaries of all tho classes, ar.d tho amount of .tho annual increment. As to the original basis on which the Board acted in dealing with existing positions, that was jpractically decided on the reconimcndateon of a committoo of tho Board.

It might further bo pointed out that in the caso of a general • body ■ of tho Service, each pno will be placed, in his class and position by tho head of his Department, -who is presumed to have the? best knowledge qf his. capabilities, while his right of nppeal againet such classification will bo to this Board, which consists, of ten heads of Department, thus assuring td him an mdor pondent roviow of his case. An examination of tho classification list shows that tho Board haa fixed tho maximum number of officers to be employed in tho several, classes of the second division. This was done in accordance with section 12 of <tho Act. Tho object was to provent any head of department of hie own will raising all or isomo of his officers suddonly to tllo higher classes. The maximum number determined by tho Board can only be increased or diminished by regulations made by t?ie Governor-in-CounCil. This qualification was inserted in tho Act in order to givo somo elasticity to the section in tho event of it being deemed nocessary to creato a now department to meet the increasing needs of tho public as tho population of tho'-coun-try grows. Mr Buddo emphasised tho fact that tho Board will bo a permanent one and will meet from timo to time: for the purpose of considering and doatinE'with objections to tho classification scheme.