THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17311, 28 October 1916, Page 7

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

QUESTION 01 r PROMOTION. [Per Prkss Association.] WELLINGTON, October 27. In May last the Public Service Commissioners advertised several vacancies for clerkships in the Public Trust Offico and the Public Trustee selected two officers in the State Guaranteed Advances Department to fill the positions. The permanent head of that Department objected to their transfer, and as his objection stood in the way of their promotion, the Public Service Association protested against the action of the head of the Department. This appeal lias now been •upheld on the basis of an opinion given by the Solici-tor-General. In the course of his opinion Mr Salmond says that speaking generally an officer should be regarded as entitled as of right to an appointment, if he is suitablo for it in respect of experience, ability and character and if he is the best of tho applicants, therefore to retain him in an inferior position because his promotion will cause inconvenience in the Public Service would not, in ordinary circumstances, be- justifiable, or if any Department thinks it necessary to retain an officer in its service the proper method is to pay as high a salary as ho is worth in the other department. If he is not receiving such a salary his promotion to another department could not reasonably be objected to. The board would be justified in requiring a strong case of •unavoidable public inconvenience ,to be made out beforo depriving an officer of any substantial promotion, to which he would he otherwise entitled.