PUBLIC SERVICES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 219, 10 June 1921, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVICES

A STATEMENT DENIED DISMISSALS NOT PROCEEDING ’l’he statement of a Wellington newspaper that large numbers of temporary clerks had been dismissed from the Civil Service within the past six weeks was officially contradicted yesterday. It had been Stated that in one Department alone upwards of one hundred clerks had been put off recently, and that many of the men affected had been employed throughout the war period. A Dominion reporter who made inquiries ou the subject was- assured that the public Departments arc not putting off men at tho present time, except to tho small extent that may be regarded as normal. There are always 'changes taking place in the temporary gradings of the Public Service, but the heads of Departments have been asked by the Government to refrain for tho present from any severe curtailment of staffs, in view of tho unemployment difficulty. Some of the Departments are at present retaining the services of men who would have been put off but for this direction of the Government. Some economies that could be effected on lines indicated by tho special Departmental Committee set up in the early part of this year have been delayed in order that dismissals of staff might be avoided at the present juncture. This committee has already suggested various changes, and it will present a full report to the Government before the opening of the session of Parliament.