PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYMENT

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26514, 31 August 1951, Page 10

PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYMENT

ASSURANCES SOUGHT OF GOVERNMENT

“NO SATISFACTORY ANSWERS ” (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 30. The executive council of the Public Service Association, meeting in annua! conference, reported to-night that it had had no satisfactory answers from the Government to requests for four assurances relating to Public Service employment. The assurances the association seeks are:—

(1) That there will be no retrenchment of public servants. (2) That the Government does not intend to interfere with fundamental rights of appeal. (3) That the Government intends to continue the association’s right to nominate a member of the Public Service Commission.

(4) That in any security legislation affecting the Public Service there will be adequate safeguards of the rights of the individual.

A statement issued by the council gives details of steps taken by the association to obtain these assurances from the Government.

“On the question of retrenchment the Australian precedent of largescale dismissals had raised apprehensions, and the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) was asked over a week ago for confirmation of his 1949 assurance that there would be no action of this kind,” the statement says. “No reply had been received in spite of a telegram reminder sent two days ago.” “The other matters had been discussed with representatives of the Government at various times over the last 18 months, but the present concern arose from persistent rumours that legislation had already been prepared. Yesterday the Prime Minister was advised that the executive council could only conclude that the Government did in fact intend to take action which it was unwilling to disclose to the service. He promised that a communication would be sent, and was urged to send it that day. Nothing has been received.”