THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Grey River Argus, 27 June 1914, Page 5

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

AN AMENDING BILL. INTRODUCED BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. - FIRST READING CARRIED. (Per United Press Association ) WELLINGTON, June 26. Su Joseph' Ward in introducing- the Public Service Amendment Bill, said that he was in a position to say that grave dissatisfaction was prevailing throughout the Public Service because the rig-ht of appeal did not prevail in all branches of the service. Hi*, bill proposed to give the right of ap peal in accordance with the recent de cision of the Chief Justice. The Pubhc' Service Commissioneis were fair-mnded men, but were an autocracy, and had taken away the right of appeal where it had previous iy existed with the result that several important departments were in a state of ujspense to-day. There were hundreds of appeaU which had not been dealt with. He also proposed in the Bill that every vacancy an the servce s*«csno be advertised. L > He understood that the. Commissioners intended not to advertise vacant positions as > then there uould be no applications, and therefore ihe'f could be no right of appeal. That was not fair.. Further, he thought that eveiy applicant before the Appeal Board should appear with a solicitor. The Commissioner had that right, and members of the service should be on an equality before the "Board. The power- of retrenchment should remain mi the (hands of the Government^ and the Minister- of Finance should be in a, position to say how much should be spent- 0111 the Public .Service. A se-rious position had now arisen ■in this connection as a result of the alteration in the 'law. Those dismissed fiom the seivice should also be furnished with rcason c for their disin^ssal, and should also have the statutory right to peruse any, references as to good character or ability contained in any department al report, otherwise Iheir ■ whole future would be left in <the ihands of three meji not , responsible to mentHe was in earnest in^his matter, and proposed to say a great deal more on the question on a future day. MINISTER'S REPLY. Hon. A. L. Herdman denied that there was widespread discontent in the Public' Service. J He* claimed^ that the .position of the Cojnmis's'ioners was not autocratic TheySvere responsible to Parliament, and could be removed! from office it Parliament willed. H« understood tihat the attitude of the Opposition was hostile to the Pub lie Service Afct^ and if they proposed r a repeal" let it foe known that they wpuld also iake from the jmblic ser vaiits rtiaiiy benefits conferred upon them b f y the Act. He denied that the public servants now had no right of appeal, and said tha"t the right had been given by the -present' Government and not by rh,c Leader qf the Opposition^ ThVconstitutid&'of the Board of Ap peal was perfectly, just, 'and no fairc. bbdy could be conceived. An extract from the Katipo would show that the Post and Telegraph De partment was well satisfied with the administration of the Commissioners, but he proposed to take higher ground th^n' the" view of the departments. Parliament was concerned with the public, and its first duty was to see that the people were supplied with 3 good Public 1 Service havin.g- the regar^ of the interests of those employ cd. / 1 ' ' '' He proceeded tc^. enumerate the advantages to the country from the pass ing of, the 'Public Service Act; also ihe Tpenefits conferred upon the Pubhc sevants under the Act. TJc contended 4hat if there was any discontent in the Public Service it had Jseen fomented by the Opposition, alid "was confine,d _to friends of that party. J' .- I Sir Joseph 'Ward, 'Tn reply, said that] if that, Ava& 'the icasjs then nine J y-mne per cent of the Public Sei|fice must ' be friends of the , Opposition. The BiU was read a first time.