WANTED: REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 634, 11 October 1909, Page 8

WANTED: REFORM.

1 m public sE^yieE'control r; ':'.. '.'. '^7MRivHERMAN'S , 'BiLt;,;; ..■:; ~'•;,.■ THE PEOPOSAES;pUTLINBD.,;*••' ,; ' ■ ' .■Aα "Act"for' tne "Efeguldtion of;the.' Pub\l». Service,"' is. .tie", title ..of Mr. A. \IL., Herdiieni . Public.. Soryioo'; Bill,' Wliicli passed its .first rcading-on' Friday,:'--"Ais"'a great 'deal '.of' iijtor;«t 4s. being expressed ' in- th'is;measuni'e.both with'iii'and outsido the', Service,-' the .principal provisions' of .the Bill, as prmteid, are 'her* ■■ given at-some '.'length. ■". - ; -.', ' "'■'!:'• ~The Bill-.provi'des-that tie' Governor'shall, appoint .froni'outside the .ranks, of 'the. Public Service >a ."Chief'Commissioner,"/. wlvo,.ehftU: be charged with the administration, of the. Actp ■Th'e Governor shall likewise -appoint, frpm' out-, sise the ranks, of tho Publio Service two i assistant commissioners, who shall aseist ; ~thi Chief- Commissioner' in adhiinist'ration,/ and bo 'under his'control^ : Th'eso'three omcers are to. be' appointed ".for. seven j-ears,. and-'to -be eligible for- reappointment. The salariejjb.f the commissioners ■ will be as follow^—Cliier..'- l)l %; missioner. and : assistant , commissiiatje each dCIOOO, these eums ,to come ''out consolidated revenue.' '"■■ .' .;' .". . ," Removal of; Commisiloners.' ;V'• .It is provided that:—. , • " ;■;■-. '>!■}•'.:','•'■ .'. ...■ "1. The Chief. Commissioner. may.;be.isn» pended or removed'for misbehaviour or inbonv ; petence, as folows:— - ; ;' ' ;; v'" '■■■■ ■' (a) Sucb Chief Commissioner may Wev* , ; pended fromhis-office by the Governor , for; '• misbehaviour, or' incombetonce, but shall' ■ - not be removed from office.eicepfas-here-" inafter-provided. :The : Minister shall cause, to be laid before Parliament.a v full state--raent of- the;grounds, ofrsuspension ivithin '■seven days after , such,.suspension if) Parliament' be in 'seesidh. and actually 'sitting, ■' and, when' Parliament ie not'in session'or'ti; not actually sitting,, within seven days after*'-< : tie cpmmenoement'of'tho.next'Eeseion or 6itting. ■ '■■..•■•■■-. ■-.. '.- ■•;.. ■■ ■; ■...;■.■'■;-.-■■■ , '■' (b A ■ Chief ■ Commissioner '■■. suspended - ■ under- this 'section' ehall be'restored'to. office/, unless each; House of Parliament,' within i'■ 'twenty-one, days, from the '. time when such ■• statement has -been laid 'before it, declares ' ■' bv-resolution that.the eaid.Chief; Commis- : " Eitmer ougflt;,to-be : rem'oved..-from offices •■ ; and if > each . House., of .Parliament ."- the sai'd '.time ■ doee,- so. declare, -the. ■ said '.- Chief .Commissioner .shnll - be removed/by ■ the -.Governor accordingly. ,;- : ' .>',, •... ~,■.■

.2. The Governor,■• on.' the .recommendation, of the;' Chief '.Commissioner, may''suspend '-b'r,-:'r'6-move from , .office .thei 'assistant.iboinmissionerj ■or either, of ,_them'."., .v: '> s>. V. '■■' ':' ■,':■> commissioner -shall 'bo,' deemed; ■■to'',-.tiav«. vacated his, office if,, among Mother things, .. ; h« "permits any Minister of the Grown,or, menu ber .of Parliament :to influence .him" in -connection with :th6''appointmc'ut,'of : .any.-, person' to' the Public Service,'.or; jvith the promotion' >or,. advancement ,of - a\. pilblia' servant." ''■'■'■.-■■•'-■/■''■/ ,; ■ ';.\.,7 ■■'■■;'i'.i'

•■'.: . ■'• f .Inspection.and;Repoptj. >' ■ ';>:-..•' '■ ' Power is given to tio Chief Commissionei,',. .;.- to cause Departments to be inspected-byhiin-self .or his assistant;' commissioners,; aad/'.'to' : , dispense -'with unnecessary officers; ■'who:icaji« ". ,'\ riot usefully'be transferred. *"' "■■■■<.. ■'..''■■'•: 'The , Chief Commissioner-.shall •furnish. -foV '••' "presentation- to Parliament, at least onoo i. • jear, a;report, on' the-oonditibh and- effioiencj .. of.!the Servioe... ';.,,,...' \ ;...',•..■■,■'-.i • ..'■■-.■.-' ' ..Claisliicatlon BridvSalarlM.". 1 : , •' -For: ; the'purposes; of'the' l Aot, ! ''the.'Publie i ■ ;Setvice\-would consist-, of-four'^pririoipel'djvi.- ■; .sions—administrative,:'--professional,--■oleribal,' < : ahd-general." It.is:provided:that."in,'the.oleri-,..; cal division'ea6h-o"fthe'.fiv,e.*c,lasses : minimurn^an'd''.,maiimum';''sakrj?, : indi.th* f annual''uicremijnt'. ; tliereto ■ mentioned "'in- Vα •: ■schedule to. the Act, , -Increment BhaU-depeW- ■'.•'• on , good-and .diligent .conduct..-' ~;>''.'.''■.''!'.,,, ;■,' ' I;;;. v Facilities;;fbrj:'Apjjea!V^f',;'■;:%;., ' 'An .officer dissatisne,d iwjth.- of:' the Chief-.' Commissioner, -ot "deputy,,.of. -the , ■ Chief Commissioner, in regard •: to" i gradft ;salary,- promotion,, etc, may .forward to thi -,;... Chief.i-iGomßii§sionern.. within ithirty. i ..«lays..foi. such; d6EisiOrij\a'-notice, of: appeal,:settingt.forth .the'.grounds of his'dissatisfaction. ; : The apneaf •■, sli.aH'be considered.by 'a special, board,'whpsj..,-. - decision'-shall, , ,be final,-;: The constitution v.f , ..' 'this;:Bpard"shall l 'be ; ".aS follow^;' ! - ' .'.'-'^'■';";.;

.:... ; (a): A Judge, of: the: Supreme, .Court or-; t'-; : . ■;■ '■ ■ Judge:-of the- Conrt. ; .of,'-.Arbitration'■ ,(as .:■ chairman);. .;.,,, -~- :.-'-i■■■.•.'.:• .;■-.i'c..■'•...>■.■•'•,■•;" ■ ; . (b)-.The'Chief' Commissioner•.'.' ; r,',:, "y\'{r : ■ (c) An' officer serving in the; Depart-' " ment of the Public .Service':in-which-tho , /.-. /. appellant.is. employed,-, and'who-has. been ■'*;. elected a member'of tho.Board. of Appeal,.. - by the officers of;such Department in;man-;',;■'■ ~ ner■ hereinafter appearing. .'• ■' ■)■■ Thoofficers of each Department.of thoPiiblio Service shall be entitled to elect'an offlcer/cm- .. ployed, in such-Department 'as .a, ■ member vol the .Board of Appeal, but .the! ..meinbbr: bo . ■ elected 6hall: only /consider-.and; .-adjudicata Upon the appeals!of:officers in the Department to which he belongs. ,' With'.respeit' to, such'; election,,the., following .ijrpvisions shall, spply:-. ' ''..' (a) The .membersv'of-' each Department 'of :tht ' .Public Service -shall elect their, -representative?; by separate ballots .to be taken.on the firelMonday, in .April,: 1010,. and.on ; tUe,i 6amo;'.ll6n-', day in every third year -thereaftter; -v\ - t ::/ • (b) If;"any 'elective member of vthe boarfl .';' dies, resigns his bfiico, or ceases,to..be aVmeni' ber of.the Dopartment:which-he represents,: «, successor'shall- be : elected"for,the', remaihder of., bis term.,of office.'.,."!,■; V-.. ~;':,*:■) ■;.■:.-.'. ■ -..-;(o) The Chief Commissioner.) shall make'j regiilatipns. .prescribing; tho .\manner. in l ,'whicW.. ballots -Shaft be.'taken'; anpV.decido'any q-ueslibhj or dispute arising , .'as" -to the regularity , orA yalidity of a ballot.' ' .':.■..;."■;''■: .• ,(d).Notice;of:the 'election of each' Depart-mental.-represehtative on theißoard, of App&il shall.be gazetted;;.'- '.■-'. '"■,( .■•:.:■ ■' ■ ■ ; (e) Each elective rmomb'er.of 'the .'Board'; al ■ Appeal shall ;be; paid -a'^'travelling. : allowanct of not less-than 12s. Cd.pof.:.dicm when absent from .his Keadquarters.'.on.Uioser-vice-of. th( ■ board. ''■:.,•./■-■'>':.■.•>.■ ■..-"..;■'.;,..'■ .'.- ~'•■ ; of Appointments.,: -' -It is provided,that no person Bha;U be.appointed to the Public Service i who is related by blood or marriage to a Minister: of tho, or't'o a/.tnoniber of. Parliament.'. .".No; per- ■ .'son related by'.blood or marriago'-'to/ariy: com-:'.'-. missiouer.shall, -except with tUe approval of the Governor in writing,;be appqfuteoV to.;o» promoted' in !the :Public service wliiler the'- com' ... missioner to whom such person is -so relaieJ continues to hold office, Tho Governor rmay," by notification in: tho Gazette, definp the limits or degreesof .relationship within'which the two, last .'preceding sections shall'.apply. No-appointment of a'ny,porson.not v already -in : the Servico-to any permanent office'or positior.' ■' .fhoreiu shall.'bri made except—(a). At,tlie": in ■ stance of the Chief Commissioner jor (b). -upon '■' ; tho request .of '■ the pormanent'- : head of; a?Departmont to ..tho, Minister, to: b'oritrans- , m'itted. Oy. tho Minister 'to tho - Chief, Com- - missioner. No; such" appointment .shall inany ■ case.be made, except-upon a certificate from the Chief Commissioner that; such sn apjjoinfr ment is required. No person stall be appointee-. to.the clerical division of-the ServicfejvhosoagV athislast birthday previons to'-.'appointment;' was less than! sixteen-,0r.-mote than thirty' years, .unless-such'.person is:-ut the:.time bl appointment already in the Ppblio Service. In the case of'apppintments.to-the General Divi- . sioni the■ latter limit is raised , to forty'years, ' with provision to-a possible oxtension of'tho age to' forty-five years --bv the ■ Governor/, on the recommendation of tho :board. ■ Nothini in this: section contained.-shall be".taken'-bj .pijoyent- the appointment, of persons of -anjage. to be junior .messengers.-.'•; ..■;:.-•:..:;.. ■ .■■' Provisions are made.regulating tho appoint meat of'temporary, officers. , :•■.:-.:■ :-. •' It is] provided.:that;.a.U-promotions, in and; appointments ."-to ..the' administrativj!., division '.'shall .-bo madc'.witlrregartl to , .'special qiialj-'. fications and aptitude; us' Well ' in gradd'or. duration of iicrvi'c'e, soniLity being ■ subordinated /to'.-considerations,... of/,spbcial rijfr ness.: , ;'"'-.:"'-' , '..'.-,'. :.:' ;. ,'.,.-.;J:.^-...,•.,■;'■■",..■.• ,;•..; '..,,'-,. .Schedule, of SSilaries.;;.- : "f;' ..;■'. V;Tho following Vis-the sclicdults ■ -showing ■ ratc'« of annual''salaries:,of:.officers of .tho'-'olc'ric'a) - division:— ...■.■■.'..■'.■' ';'," : - ;■. 'i - .---;' ."•' '" '• ;-, .. ''' .'Annual Salary , of? Subdivision of Class; ■i'.;v'- First Second Third Fourth Fifti -:Sub-' Sub- Sub- 1 .. •-, -;-:.-divi--- div.i- ;:diyi-;',divi-..'. divi. ■' , :■ '•■.":■- -.- .;■ sion.-:SionVf;sionn-s)bii.' sion." ;■■-".• ; , .X-. £■ '. ..<je.-;-.,;.r-je---.>' \&.-.. ' First;: Class •...'. -530','. : ,5(i0, 'SM-v.s.lKO • Gsoj ; Soe6iid : ..Class;'.;-'4!» : -v'.U«l,-.-.'.-4(io-- v ; 480- > -600r---Third C1a55.....: 310.., -.335■■: 360: ,- 380.n:r--400. ; ■ ' Fourth .Class.., 185 ■". 210» 235 i 260VV..285 ■ ■■'•'i Piftli Class' ... 50»00>UO~il30.- »ICO-' Fifth. Class:-.. 'GO*: 00: : 110; 130 -MCO-."-. Fifth'-Classvi..;;■ 70 , ; v 90,;-> 110 130.'■.■'■ 160;-,|..;. •Tho salary on jbining" the Publie". Sorvice, ,of<-the;first six.irionth/ ' the salary to. bo, at. the rateiof, 'per a'nnutu and at: tiie'.cspiry of-twelyo: months■'froSivitln ' 'date-pf. entering tho-Service, the.'salaty- ! tb-.ly|" at tho rate of XiO.'.per ■ annum. '-Thererifte'' ■^ffioeiis 1 shall,-sub.ieotl.toitho^provisipns' of.thi«" Act, -Mceive.tho'annual-incroasea"fixed: by'\tb* ; ;■;■■ i. , .- "■; ;.-'V':-.-,'•' i : .i -SI-;.C"