THE PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 71, 25 March 1914, Page 8

THE PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE EDITOR.

Sir.— Your correspondent can hardly expect me to enter into a discussion with him as to the meaning of the word "merit." Suffice it to say that I tiso the word in its every-day sense. Tf "Scrutator" prefers to substitute the words " Special qualifications and apti* tude,"' which, are used in the Act, the statements in my letter still Btand undisturbed. I makp no apology for quoting the report of the Hunt Commission. " Comparisons are odorous," but t think I may say without reflecting on anyone else that the members of that Commission are men of high standing and good repute, whose conclusions cannot be treated lightly. I hope on another occasion with your permission, Sir, to make some further quotations from the Hunt report to point another moral. But if " Scrutator" does not like the Hunt report I am content to rest my case on the Public Service Commissioners' own report, on page 13 of H. 14. 1913. The Public Service Commissioner, referring to t|io professional divisioh., saya inter alia: " It is precisely here that classification in its i ordinary sense is likely to fail, anu will assuredly fail, unless promotions are made entirely by merit, «lt is imperative that the ablest men should be selected for any vacancy, irrespective of any other" consideration than merit and fitness.'* .It will be noticed , that the Public Service Commissioner hinieelf haa rather a liking for the word " merit," yhich seems to grate so on " Scrutator." In my previous letter, after quoting from the Commissioner's report the above words, 1 continued: "The Public Service Commissioner himself knows best .whether he is following his own doctrine. "' I would like to repeat that statement. A very little reflection should have shown "Scrutator" that I cannot be expected to mention names e**n if they would be published. It is the principle laid down by the Act (and amplified by the Commissioner in his report) that "seniority should be subordinated to special qualifications and aptitude. It is quite clear that the Commissioner can know very little himself about the merits of tha various officers beyond what he has been told by the heads of Departments. Theonly way I suggest ho can make satisfactory appointments is to throw the onus on the head of the Department of recommending the best man for each vacancy laying special stress on the words of the Act: "Seniority should be subordinated to special cfualilications and aptitude."— I am, etc., ' CIVIL SERVANT. 25th March.

His Honour Mr. Justice Edwards re* turns this evening from Masterton. In a. lengthy letter to The Post dealing with tho Katwarra water system, Councillor Bowdewj of the Onslow Borough Council, rofm to the discussion upon a motion submitted' by him for the appointment of a. thoroughly ' qualified piutnber to carry out 1 the duties ln'oonruction with the system. The words he need a 4. tho council table, he states, \ver« —"In supporting the motion councillors ¦would not be connecting the present engineer with the cause of the trouble, such having existed tor a oonsi<wrablo number of years, and long, before the present engineer took office." Council' lor Kowden's statement of the position is briefly as follows: The ratepayers have been repeatedly called upon to ef» i'ect certain repairs to meters or fittings, necessitating the expensive engagement of a plumber from the city. The defect* 'have been in most cases very trifling, and could have been remedied by a practical man at the time of reading the meters. The defeclß have iloF been caused through any fault of tlio ratepayers; but because the council has tailed to make, provision for the ckailug of drip vente. Now that meters have been, placed in thorough order, Tutepayers do not want a, recurrence of the trouble, so a petition representing 17 connections out of 65 was presented to the council requesting the npu&lntmunt of a thoroughly qualified plumber. The motion in support of the petitioner* request was turned down by the repre«entatives of the upper wards, Council' loro Bowden and Brown (Ngaio) alone (supporting it. Councillor Bowdon concludes with an expression of his willingness to debate the question wu,. any member of the Ouelow Council on* Uia public platform. Mr. R. R. Hollister, a. journnlisHecturcr from New York, will give Bible lectures in the Town ilnll to-night and to-morrow night,. Mr. Hollisler in giving 1 a iprios of lectures throughout. New ZenIntid for the promotion of Uiblo study ntong unsectarinn lines, nnd hns everywhere nttrnctod lnrffc ttudionoop. Ho lint spent several years on tho Oriental mission fields, ami is described in n forceful and oiitcrtaining 4 Sponkcr, Tho object '«if the I.R.S. Association, which Mr. Hotlistor represents, v to encourage Clmv tians of o\ery nnd of no denomination to study the Scripture's along Buch lines aa will enable them to realise the harmony in the Bible, and the wonderful future for mankind they unfold. Tho subject of to-night's lecture is ''VVhei* Are the DeadV" There will be seats fo;« all, us the largest auditorium in tho Town Hull is available. Admission i« free, nnd no collection is taken up. Doors opeu at 7.30.