WIDER CHOICE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 34, 9 August 1927, Page 11

WIDER CHOICE

FOR CIVIL SERVJGE ENTRY

TO AVOID PUBLIC MISFITS

p,!n" y il "l jOltaut ""nit passed at the lubhc fceivice Conference (says the "P.lv whidT T r° Urnal"- cdito-*& w^ ovcrliH n C°mm.Isslouer earned to pass ojc lightly (perhaps became lie looked at it iioni one point only), yh the su" to the Public Service uhouH. receive information as to the duties and work of the various departments, and be given greater opportunities of chowe of the JJepartment they desired to join. It is 2LI *£%fjeedtarof preset day conditions that there are so masiy misfits w every sphere of life. Boys and girs too often have to take the first position thai oiiers, otten uncongenial and th P whole of their future life is?'Wrred on that account. While force ofs circumstances, in some instances, • makft it absolutely necessary for work to be obtained at the earliest possible moment, nevertheless it is a matter of importance and of vital interest to the community .as well as to the individual that the inclinations and natural talents of each should be so utilised as to give the best possible service. It is worthy of note that both the Institute of Teachers here in New Zealand apd the Mueational Congress which opened in London last month have, had this question under discussion. Thiii idicates that the question of vocational training is claiming attention in all parts of the Empire. It may be true of the prenent time that headmasters of secondary schools are, generally speaking, not sufficiently acquainted with tlw pupils under their care to be able to advise what cluss ot work or Department is most suitable for applicants, but with the question of vocational training coming into such prammence, this disability will gradually disappear. We believe that the Public Sevvice Commissioner, in co-operation with principals and headmasters on the onehand, and heads of Departments on the other hand, could institute a system, whereby each candidate, on entering thes Public Service, would be trained in that class of work for which he was best adapted, and in this way greatly improve the efheiency of the Publis Service as a whole, and obviate what at the present time often occurs, viz., an officer performing duties uncongenial and distasteful. It such a scheme were inaugurated, and we believe it could bo without much effort, tho conference of 1927 would, in this effort alone, be a 1 landmark in the history of the association.