THE POST OFFICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 97, 21 October 1936, Page 9

THE POST OFFICE

CONTROL OF STAFF

CHANGES PROPOSED

AN AMENDING BILL

Several changes in the control of the Post and Telegraph Department are. provided for in the Post and Telegraph Amendment Bill, which was introduced into the House of Representatives last night by Governor-General's Message.

Provision is made for the authority of the permanent head of the Department to rest with a deputy in» the event of the absence of the DirectorGeneral through any cause.

A further provision transfers the final authority for appointments and promotions within the service from the Public Service Commissioner to the permanent head-of. the Department. When the Act was amended in 1918 the staff of the Department was -removed, from the control of the Public Service Commissioner to the permanent head, of the Department, and all appointments and promotions were to be made on the recommendation of a board of four senior officers, with one additional member elected by the staff. ..It was provided, by the amendment of 1918 that the Public Service Act, 1912, would, not apply to the P. arid T. Department, ai^d that all references in the latter Act to the Department and to the officers would.cease to have any force or effect. The decision of the board of five continued to be formally approved by s the Public Service Commissioner, and his signing of the recommendation schedule has been a mere formality for the; past 18. years. The Bill terminates this' arrangement.

Authority is being taken in the-Bill to set up a tribunal when desired by the Postmaster-General to inquire into and report to him oh such matters concerning the regulations : actually in existence or proposed to be made. A similar provision was made earlier this year in respect of the railway service. The chairman of the board may be a Judge of the Supreme Court' or' a Stipendiary Magistrate > or any other person not interested in the subject matter of the inquiry, and failing agreement on the part of the organisations representing the officers.concerned the Minister has the right to select the chairman. The Departmental organisations and the Minister are to have the right appointan equal number to the tribunal. ■■••-•• .

The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates. (National, Kaipara) urged the Postmaster-General (the, Hon. F. Jones) to guard against any possibility of Departments of State being made water-tight. There was a danger of that when Departments-were not under the control of the Public Service .Commissioner. It might mean that avenues of promotion .were limited. . '

Mr. Jones: There is no intention .that that should ; be the result of the Bill.

Mr. Coates: I don't suggest.it is; but the position is worth watching; . .

The Bill was read a first time.