PUBLIC SERVICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 17 November 1937, Page 11

PUBLIC SERVICE

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED VALUE OF EXAMINATIONS DISCUSSED lFrom Our Own Parliamentary ReporterJ WELLINGTON. This Day. Depression problems, the Public Service Entrance Examination system, facilities for entering the Public Service, numbered among topics discussed in the llou.se yesterday afternoon when the vote of .110.400 for the Public Service Commissioners’ Office was under consideration. The Rev. A. 11. Nordmeycr (Government, Oamaru) said the policy of the commissioners of giving preference to vouths who had passed the University Entrance Examination over others who did not have that qualification was stultifying the work .>( the Education Department Mr Nordmcyer also suggested that consideration should be given to youths who were of the eligible age during the depression but who had not had a chance of entering the Stale service. Me asked if it were possible for the regulations to be altered to enable these youths to obtain their chance. Describing the Public Service Entrance test as a mass production examination. Mr T. 11 McCombs (Government. Lyttelton) said that success here was a matter of temperament. This applied to both candidate and examiner. It the examiner had fried potatoes for tea and developed indigestion the candidate failed. That was an indication of the uncertainty of examinations Mr McCombs suggested that the recommendation of headmasters should be taken into account when pupils were being sent forward for entrance to the Public Service The Rt, Hon. G. W. Forbes (National, Hurunui) suggested that an indication should be given as to the number of applications received for appointments in the Public Service Many parents were anxious to put their sons into the service of the State, and information regarding their chances of securing ..n early appointment would be helpful. “I think most of the people of New Zealand want to get into the Public Service," said the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) in reply. He added that the dilliculty mentioned by Mr Nordmcyer had been partly overcome by raising oie entrance age from eighteen to twenty-one years. The policy of the Government was to educate New Zealanders for service to Zealard. not to drive them overseas after spending a great deal of money on their education. It was the right of New Zealanders to work for their country and to have the opportunity to work for it. The Government was not reducing the number of State employees, but was increasing them, and there was good reason for optimism on the part of parents, for the list of applicants was almost exhausted The Government did not wish to discourage applicants, but having said that it was his duty to point out that there was a limit to the number of positions to be filled. The question of the examination was an important one, and the suggestion that notice should be taken of the recommendations of headmasters would be given serious consideration. Parents should not hesitate to have their children qualify for the Public Service, for if they were unsuccessful in obtaining a position after qualifying they were at any rate equally well qualified for private employment.