PUBLIC SERVANTS

Grey River Argus, 5 December 1940, Page 5

PUBLIC SERVANTS

Work Outside Departments PROHIBITION DEBATED [Per P r ess Association 1 . WELLINGTON, December 4. The House this afternoon was occupied with the discussion of the report of the Public Petitions Committee on the petition of two public servants, L. M. Estcourt and T. V. Foster, who both asked for reinstatement in public service, from which they had been discharged. The Committee, in both cases recommended that the reports be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. The House finally agreed that both reports should be laid on the table. Mr W. F. Schramm (Govt., Auckland East), who is Chairman of the Committee, referred to the powers of the Public Service Commissioner, and drew attention to a circular which had been sent to different Departments, drawing renewed attention to the fact that civil servants were debarred from taking employment of any kind outside of the service. Mr Schramm contended that if the circular, as worded, applied in such cases as the secretaryships of bowling clubs, religious bodies, political parly branches, etcetera, the Prime Minister should give an assurance that it would not be put into effect.

Rt. Hon. Mr Fraser said that no one was more surprised than he was at the interpretation which had been put on the circular mentioned by Mr Schramm. It was quite true that public servants had been debarred from accepting employment outside of the service. For instance, it would be most unfair for a member of the staff of the Land and Income Tax Department to keep books for a private individual; or for an architect of the Public Works Department to draw plans for a private architect. Mr J’. A. Lee: Can’t he be the secretary of a church organisation? Mr Fraser: That does not apply at all. Mr Fraser continued that there were people connected with all sorts of organisations who received small remunerations for services which were, to all intents and purposes voluntary. In such cases the Public Service Commissioner had already indicated that there would be no interference, and he (Mr Fraser) could also give that definite assurance. If there were any doubt about the matter, another circular would be sent out.