A COURT CLERKSHIP

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 110, 5 November 1918, Page 4

A COURT CLERKSHIP

FEILDING GRIEVANCE.

(BI TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

FEILDING, 3rd November.

The matter of the appointment of a | clerk of the Court at Feilding has come up again. At present the position is filled i by a man ineligible for military service. A month ago the officer, who had been granted extension by the Militaiy Service Board in Wellington, on' the ground that he was essential, was appointed. The local Justices protested against the appointment, whereupon the Public Service Commissioner statrtd that the officer was to he kept at Wellington; that the appointment was merely a matter of technical promotion. It is now reported that the •present clerk at Rotorua is to be sent to Feilding, his place being filled by another officer who had been exempted on the ground that he was essential. The Justices again protested, and forwarded the resolution to the Prime Minister, pointing out how the Commissioner was evading a previous protest. The Justices view with alarm the unnecessary exemption of Civil Servants from military service.

[This matter was referred to the Assistant Public Service Commissioner and the Justice Department. The officials stated that the officer appointed, or, rather, being transferred to Feilding, was far beyond military age, and had for some time been relieving in the South Island. He had lost two sons at tho front, and, owing to indifferent health, required a change from Rotorua. It was considered desirable now to settle hjm definitely. His present position was nominally clerk of the Court at Rotorua, though he had not been acting there for several months. The officer at present at Rotorua was merely relieving, and had been there since his recall from the Cook Islands a couple of months ago. The Public Service Commissioner had no_ knowledge of this latter officer having been exempted in any way.]