EFFICIENCY TESTS

Grey River Argus, 20 January 1940, Page 9

EFFICIENCY TESTS

FOR PUBLIC SERVICE WELLINGTON, January 19. The assurance that he would consider suspending efficiency tests for the Public Service in the eve*it of a military force going overseas was made by the Public Service Commissioner (Mr T. Mark) recently, according to a report in the Public Service Journal this month. The assurance was given during a discussion with members of the executive council of the service, apparently before it. was known definitely that a force , would be sent overseas. According to the report in the journal, the discussion was on a remit “that the Public Service Commissioner be pressed to suspend all efficiency tests for all divisions in view of the state of war,” Mr Mark at first adopting the attitude that he was not prepared to go into the matter as he did not think the men who joined the forces in any way affected the posit- on. Replying to a statenr l t Ly Mr F. W. Millar, Mr Mark, ’t. 's reported, said that Lmse men wh-j hid gone over as military reservists or territorials were not sufficiently thrown out of their stride to justify the postponement. of the efficiency tests None had so far gone away, and those who might go would be covered by the fact that if an absent officer were considered to be the most eligible for a position but lacked the examination qualifications he might be appointed subject to his passing the required examination within two years of his return. Special examinations would be set for returned soldiers. Moreover, the returned soldier would probably be allowed to go ahead with a lower percentage of pass than the man who remained behind. Mr Mark added that the man who stayed behind and got his efficiency test would get no advantage over the man who joined up, unless, of course,

Ji,he was considered to be the better, man. Mr Millar, the report states, ' expressed the opinion that the present position was highly unsatisfactory. After some further discussion, Mr Millar, the journal states,. asked the following question:— “Can we ask’ you a point blank question so that the service may have some satisfactory ‘answer? Would the Public Service Commissioner be prepared to suspend the efficiency tests in the event of a force going overseas?” Mr Marks replied (it is reported): “I am prepared to consider the matter further then. At the present time no one. knows whether anyone is going away or not.”