PUBLIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 18 August 1925, Page 9

PUBLIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION.

ANN UAL CONFER ENCE. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION* WELLINGTON, Aug. 18. The annual conference of the Public Service Association was opened, to-day by the Prime Minister. The president, Mr. R. Sinel, in introducing Mr. Coates, declared that the policy of the association, while maintaining the rights and privileges of its members, was quite reasonable in its attituch They had not hitherto, nor would they in the future, adopted methods that might be termed unconstitutional. They would press their just claims in a reasonable manner.

Mr. Coates said he hoped the Conference would lead to a still better understanding between the association and the Government. They were, of course, under the control of the Public .Service Commissioner, and personally he had not much experience with departments under that control; but, so far as he had seen, the work that had been done was good indeed. The excellent organisation of the Public Service Commissioner’s office was one that they should be proud of. Mr. Coates said that the public iservice was one of which we could indeed ‘be proud, as it was above graft or Anything of that kind and it was strictly honest. It was by these qualities that i;t had earned the good name it possessed. The Government was pledged to keep the public .service free from political control and that principle of 'the Public Service Act should be maintained. As for political control was concerned fie had not seen anything of thait kind. So far as the service was concerned, the principle ot that act 'would be miaintiainied. Mr. Coates re ferret! to the relatively higher educational standard in the service, also to 'the added inducement to officens in the prospect of being sent overseas to gain experience and information.. So far, tiffs had applied to professional matters, bub he hoped to extend the principle to cover matters of engineering 'and so forth. The Association would be interested to know what was propoised in connection with the retirement after 40 years’ .service. As a general! principle, he stood by that, because it gave a young man an incentive to get .ahead by preventing the block in the higher positions. In quite a number of the departments it would be difficult to carry out the 40 year principle, especially in regard to a position Avhich requires high technical qualifications, which.-it would not be wise to overtook. The general principle he agreed with. He referred to the .appointment of Sir Truiby King in regard to the mental hospitals system as an example of what lie wanted. The welfare of the -country as a whole should be considered, and there must be an exception at times, in the initer■eislt.9 of the country, to the general rule ■for retireenint after 40 years’ service In regard to superannuation, Mr. -Coates” said that provision would be made in the Finance Act for calculation of allowances for mental hospital lemployeas on gross instead of nett Salaries, provision would also be made in regard to widows pensions, bringing them up to £3-1.