THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. (From the "New Zealand Advertiser," July 13.)

North Otago Times, Volume VI, Issue 127, 26 July 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. (From the "New Zealand Advertiser," July 13.)

The first Report of the Civil Service Commissioners has been laid before the Houses of Assembly, and other reports are to follow. From this one we learn, that it is intended as a general view of the existing Civil Service, and as a suggestion of the broad principles on which that service should be reorganised. The Commissioners state that there is a difficulty in this, from the fact of there beiug actually ten Civil Services in the Colony, one Colonial and nine Provincial, entirely independent of each other. In none of these has a systematic organisation beeu established. After remarking on a report of a Commission for the same purpose established in Victoria, the Commissioners consider that it is applicable to New Zealand in showing the want o organization. They then state that the number of persons in official capacities, including Country Postmasters, Native Assessors, &c, and exclusive of the Colonial Forces, paid by appropriation of the General Assembly, is 1602. The amount paid in salaries and fees in 1865 was L193,404. The number of chief clerks of offices is thirty-five, and the average rate of their annual salary is L281 8s. The number of other clerks is 308, and their average salary is LI 75 17s. The result of a comparison shows that the average salaries paid by Government to subordinate officers are lower thau those paid by banks and the principal mercantile firms in the Colony. The general principles upon which the proper organisation of the Civil Service should be based are, in their opinion — classification ; promotion from class to class ; salaries with minimum and maximum rates, and with annual increase ; rules for discipline ; and retirement and other allowances in certain cases. The Commissioners recommend a division into five classes, the first of which should be limited in number, and on which, they will report afterwards. The second class to have salaries from L3S0 to L600 a-year ; the third from L250 to L370 ; the fourth from LI 50 to L240 ; and the fifth from L80 to L140.