THE PROPOSED CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8123, 21 March 1887, Page 5

THE PROPOSED CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

[Bt Teleqbath.] [fbom oue own cobp.espondent.] WELLINGTON, Mabch 20. In my Friday night’s despatch, I mentioned that a Cabinet minute had been circulated among the heads of departments, setting forth what would in future be the rates of pay upon promotion. It has since appeared that the minute was printed and circulated in error, and the subject matter has not even been considered by several members of the Cabinet. There is a good deal of annoyance over the premature publication, and the minute has been withdrawn, ostensibly for the consideration of the Ministers, who have not yet been consulted in the matter, but it is quite possible we shall here nothing more about it. There was nothing on the printed minute to show that it was in any way confidential, and consequently the contents are a very open secret. Indeed, the whole service is discussing the proposals, and disgust thereat is loudly expressed on all hands. They are alleged to be the work of Mr Reynolds, who is anxious to pose as a Civil Service reformer, but whoever sketched the scheme has evidently not gone into figures to see how it would work out. Some of the Ministers even speak of the proposals as “humbug." According to this precious “ minute," or whatever else red tapeism may be pleased to call it, any officer who may in future be promoted will receive what is known as an “ Irish rise "; that is, a junior officer being promoted to the post vacated by his senior, may get a smaller salary in the higher position than it was his lot to receive in the lower position. The scale proposed is as follows: An officer promoted to a position, the salary of the former holder of which was .£2OO a year, will only receive nine-tenths of that salary; of .£450 a year, seven-teen-twentieths ; of £650 a year, eighttenths; and of £750, three-fourths, and in like with intermediate amounts. It is interesting just to see how these figures will work out. Here is an example as given by the Post:—“An officer receiving £l9O and promoted to a superior office, the salary of which had hitherto been £2OO, would at once lose £lO a year, for nine-tenths of £2OO would only be £IBO. He might gain in position, but would lose in pocket. An officer in receipt of £4OO a year, succeeding one formerly paid £450 would find himself cut down to £382 10s, thus losing £l7 10s a year on account of his promotion. An officer with £550, promoted to an office previously worth £650, would find himself reduced by £3O a year, while any officer in receipt of £6OO a year who might be unfortunate enough to succeed a superior who had been drawing £750, would find his salary reduced by £37 10s per annum." It is scarcely to be wondered that the Civil servants are disgusted with a proposed system of reform, which would cast extra responsibilities on them without any corresponding pecuniary advantage, and banish all hope of attaining to salaries adequate to the positions they might be called upon to occupy. There are many posts in the ServiceSwhich are, or ought to be, worth £BOO or £IOOO a year, but if the proposals contained in the minute were given effect to, such a salary could not be looked for. The minute hints at an amalgamation of offices, but it does not suggest how it is to be carried out. The whole affair is absurd upon its face, and it is satisfactory to know that it has not the sanction of the Cabinet, nor is it likely to have. That reforms are desirable, indeed urgently needed, no one can doubt who knows anything of the working of the Civil Service. But those reforms will never be effected by the plan of Irish promotion, which-is vulgarly, but forcibly, referred to in the concert-room song : Oh, go to b:azes, I’ll raise yer wages From thirty shillings to one pound ten.