New Procedure To Limit Public Service Growth

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29330, 8 October 1960, Page 15

New Procedure To Limit Public Service Growth

“The Press" Special Serot*e

WELLINGTON, October 7. The Cabinet, the Public Service Commission, and the Treasury have evolved a new procedure to keep a firmer control on the growing numbers in the Public Service,

In the past when a Minister approved expansion of activities of a department under his control, the Public Service Commission regarded this as sufficient authority to make extra appointments to the service.

Now, when any significant increase in a department's staff is sought, the matter must be referred to another senior Minister. if not to the Cabinet itself. The new procedure was explained by the chairman of the commission (Mr L.-A. Atkinson). He was commenting on an item in the official Public Service circular calling on all departments to exercise restraint.

“In recent times the permanent staff of the Public Service has increased at the rate of approximately 1000 a year,” said the article. “Government concern at the increasing numbers has resulted in the formulation of a procedure for more effective control. “The commission and the Treasury recently issued a joint circular on this matter. In the circular, reference was made to the importance of weighing carefully not only the need for more staff

but also the necessity of filling existing vacancies.” The article added that the departments bad been told that, as vacancies occurred, they ‘must satisfy themselves that any new position could not be met by other means, for example by a rearrangement, of existing duties or streamlining work methods and procedures, before replacements were sought. It was significant, it said, that, while the commission received many requests for staff increases, proposals involving reductions were remarkably few.