Proposal For Abolition Of Special Purpose Bodies

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30169, 28 June 1963, Page 12

Proposal For Abolition Of Special Purpose Bodies

(from Out Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 27. The Local Government Commission is preparing a scheme which will result in the abolition of most of the 700 “special purpose” bodies throughout New Zealand. In its annual report, tabled in Parliament today, the commission said it was satisfied that the present establishment of about 700 ad hoc authorities was not desirable. As a result a scheme was being prepared to divide the country into about 20 regions, in each of which there would be a directly elected regional authority of 16 to 20 members.

Measures For More Efficient M.O.W.

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter] ' WELLINGTON, June 27. Ministry of Works staff will be submitted to survey by a private firm of industrial and management consultants, with the object of increasing efficiency. This is announced in the annual report of the Ministry of Works, tabled in Parliament this afternoon.

"Although the Ministry is considered to be organised on a sound basis and is conducting its operations efficiently, the survey will be carried out,” says the Commissioner of Works (Mr J. T. Gilkison) in the report.

“■pie scope, size and complexity of the department's operations, involving some £72 million a year, coupled with difficulties arising from shortages and a high turnover of trained staff, leave no room for complacency about efficiency,” he says. "No doubt there are aspects of our organisation and our operations that are capable of improvement. The department wishes to know about them and to improve them. "Witt, this end in view, it is proposed to submit the whole of our organisation and operations to a management analysis survey by consultants. Work study’ techniques will then be directed to correcting any weaknesess the survey may reveal. "Exploratory talks have been held with leading management consultants with a view to conducting such a survey.’’

This decision comes from a trial study carried out recently in the Social Security Department by a firm of

management consultants. The firm, employing clerical work measurement techniques which originated with the American engineer, Mr P. B. Mulligan, made its report to the State Services Commission.

The commission first considered this particular form of work measurement as a result of discussions which the chairman (Mr L. A. Atkinson) had in Australia last year when he attended a conference of Australian public service commissioners. Later, a firm of consultants. which is New Zealandbased but which has overseas affiliations, offered to undertake a study for the commission. Early this year, the commission’s superintendent of organisation and methods (Mr C. W. Franks) and the senior investigating officer for the Treasury (Mr J. N. Searle) studied the results of Australian surveys while attending a conference on the use of computers. Commenting on the results of the pilot survey in the Social Security Department, the acting chairman of the commission (Mr A. G. Rodda) said although clerical work measurements could result in staff reductions, these would not be obtained through dismissal.

“Much of the success of the study had resulted from the elimination of ineffective time and inefficient methods.” Mr Rodda said. “Clerical work measurement may well produce significant benefits for the department concerned without entailing more work for the employees ”

The authority, the commission said, would carry out the functions of all special purpose bodies in the region. It would, however, have authority to delegate any of its functions in a particular area to the territorial local authority for that area. “It is stressed that the suggested regional authorities will not affect the territorial local authorities, other than by relieving them of any payments now made to special purpose bodies,” the report said. In suitable cases, territorial authorities will be strengthened by the delegation of appropriate Special purpose functions. » “However, it is clear that no sueb reorganisation will be possible with the consent of the special purpose authorities.” the report said.