THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9653, 19 November 1913, Page 2

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

POST AND TELEGRAPH GRIEVANCES.

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.

In the House yesterday Sir Joseph Ward •noved to introducce the Public Servic Amendment Bill. His object, he stated, >vas to provide a means of discussing the important branch of the Post Office. He lesired to place before the House the disabilities under which' members of the' I'uLlic Service, presided over by tho Cbrrinissioners. suffered. The greatest, drawjack was the fact thao the officers could lot, approach members of Parliament"- and tir their grievances. Members of the Post and Telegraph Department had bcon .lonicd (lie right to submit to the Commissioners the considerations of their conerences. The Postmaster-General and the Commissioner of Telegraphs wero in the extraordinary position of being mere ciphers. He reviewed the conditions which :>xisttd prior to the passing of the Public Service Act, and contrasted', them with die state of affairs obtaining to-day, with the view of showing that the difficulties of di<s large service could not at present be brought under the notice of the political ltead of the Department. The rank and •ile of the service should have the opportunity ot placing any grievances which exist before the Minister. Hon. A. L. Herdman thought it was well • hat. Sir Joseph Ward should have brought" tho matter before the House so that the true position could be put before' the people. He contended that the Public' Ser-

vice Act was one of the most, beneficial measures ever passed, despite the criticism of the Opposition and its press. He was ;atisned, from personal conversation with members of the Service, that the new regime under which merit and ability were recognised was welcomed generally throughjut, the Service. Delegates who waited upon the Commissioners had passed a resolution which admittedly was not baled )n fact. The delegates themselves admitted that they had no facts to submit in support of the resolution, which was that the classification of the Post and Telegraph Department was not based on the same standard as the classification of other branches of the Service. There was an iniidt in tlie resolution, and tho delegates lad refused to withdraw, it when politely lsked to do so by the Commissioners. In lis opinion the attitude adopted by ths Commissioners was perfectly justifiable. • t was surprising that the working of tho Act had been so smooth, and there was no doubt that the advantages derived were immense. The resolution passed by the delegates was a distinct reflection on the Commissioners, and they would have aa opportunity of withdrawing it. Mr J. Hanan asked 1 whether the delegates mould have gone before the Commissioners with bated breath and bended knee. He adversely criticised the Commissioners' action towards the delegates. Hon. R. 11. Rhodes contended that there was no discontent in the service, as had been alleged. The new classification had increased the expenditure from £20.0*000 to £BOO.OOO. He would have turned down the delegates if tbev had pone to him and reflected on his administration as they had on the administration of the Commissioners. who were prepared io hear the delegates any ime, providing the resolution was withlrawn.

-Mr Witty caid they knew a little more ■iftcr Ministerial statements than then- knew xfore. If the .Minister had been' strong a-hen the Act was brought in he would have >ut his foot down and said he would not illow his Department to be brought under he Act.

Mr Victch (Wanganui) said the C'ommisioners had been too thin-skinned over the natter, and had paid too much attention o their own dignity, and not enough to th« lignity attaching to the officers of th c service. He submitted that- the deadlock exsted regarding the resolution.

Hon. P. M. B. Fisher explained what had happened between the deputation and the Commissioners. When the Commissioner* isked for proof of the deputation's assertions hey were not forthcoming. He dwelt cm the fact that only 8.4 per cent of the post md telegraph officers appealed against he classification. /