CIVIL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 97, 24 April 1912, Page 10

CIVIL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —l notice that there is at least one Government department making tin attempt to conduct its affairs on business lines. I refer to tho Crown Law Departmen, which is advertising in your journal for an assistant law officer. This is decidodly a move in the right ■\Yhat this Department wants is tho best value it can get for the salary offered. What is stipulated, it will be noticed, is that tho applicant shall be poisessed of certain qualifications. No mention of length of Eervice—only qualifications! What a contrast this is to usual departmental procedure! I would like to know, sir, if there is any good reason why such a practice should not be made general throughout the public service. In many of tho public departments in the matter of appointments and promotions, if, there is one thing which is placed in the background altogether, it is qualification. Iv a commercial concern if a man is wanted for a position, the salary is fixed, then the requirements of the position are defined, then search i& mada for the man best able to fill the bill, and ha is chosen. \ .The probont Government, starting'with a clean slate, in surely able to dehuo the principles which should govern promotion and appointments in the Civil Service. If it ib to be length of tervice alone, let Iho same be publicly notified. Let it be known that it in useless men in the Government service passing, examinations, and aiming to add to their scock of knowledge; let it be widely known that efficiency i» no qualification for promotion —that the only thing wpnted is years of service. Get in young must be the watchword ; put in your time just doing enough to keep your billet; then, when sufficient time has elapsud, you will attain a high position. What could be more absurd? Yes, it is absurd, but that is what is going on in the public service of New Zealand to-day. Surely it it> time such a system was ended, and tho way to end it is to publicly, notify every position of importance in the public press, and invite applications for same; then sot up an appointment board to select the best men. By adopting such a course we would soon have Civil Service reform. Once it became known that efficiency was the test, the Civil Service would be galvanised into new life; there would follow economy and capable administration. If the present Ministry does not grapple with the difficulty they aro living in a fool's pa radio a, and Mr. Herdinan. and hit. friends will come along later on and reap v, big harvest of public approval by reforming the Civil Service. —l am, etc.. HOPEFUL.