CIVIL SERVICE

North Otago Times, Volume CI, Issue 13324, 26 July 1915, Page 8

CIVIL SERVICE

- COMMISSIONER'S yINNUAL tJ w BEPORT. ; V ' WELLINGTON; July 2L> ' "Even at the lisle of leileiation," , slates the lepoit ofAlie Public Service Conunissioiier, "biqu'ght down ,ju ' the '■ Legislative "Council this' al'lerriooh, the Commissiouerg'again .stress'the necessity for business nletliorls, which are ■ iioiiiing .more' than njet|(pds> which Jgive 1 a maximuni result at a inijiimyiu cost." | 't'hi! iepoit furthei states tliat the pjessiiri!, placed upoii -1 lie, depiirtinents ■' owing to the rapid changes in'stalls as ' the result of officers voluteering for tlio ■ I'ApcditiQiuuy Force, lias pieyented pio- '' gross illy thc tiireeti qiiV;iii 1 utlgftitihtioii of departments. The efficiency of the ' --l > u6bc^&eVviecJ-slidulsi''ljC;,pf\^hV3iig)j :^l ; standard^'aiuD : while ;:this'!is .Vthc : g6al j looked for by a eerta i 11' ; d isappoi 11 tmcii tiiiistjJjo 'expressed ' at'the coniparatiVely, slow of im- >. pfovfiment Jm''Soitttf'deiftirtin'e'iSts.j|..-It'.-is, ' however, difliciiit,wheii the existing: in- ' cllicieniiy. is the ,resu|t7'of thirty :or fprty years' ■ in' 'the iiieshes of ■ unbusinesslike, "l iiietliods,' to produce grenter ; eUiciency without vexatious de- ; lavs,, but it; is satisfactory, ; to. record - that while spiiio departnients passively ' or actively resist, iuiprovcinCiits which 1 are'likely to lead to increased efllcieiicy, others show a sustained endeavoiu'i to bring their departni'ciits into the best conditions., " • ; .>, 1 j '£he : .report goes on . to**-«ay: —*' The this 'general' question of wonQiny,: after t\vo. years' experience, iwc now able ! to siiy %ith certainty tliat given prudent and careful administration,: ! thc- deyclopnlent of initiative, a closer to duty by officers,- ; and stricter insistence on their punctual attendance, the prevention; of unnecessary.travelling, the exercise of proper care in the use of stores and stationery (in which groat waste occurs), the use to the fullest extent, of mccliaiiical devices, the introduction and extension of ino(lerii;methods, aiid a judicious absorption of koine of tlic smaller depiirtinents, a savinjj-"of a suin'not 'far , short of £IOO,OOO per annum could be brought about in the expenditure of the Public Service without .curtailing services, .impairing'efficiency, or incurring the slightest -risk; in fact, it is considered that many interests: \\;ou!d be more coinpletelj'' safeguarded tliaii at present, and the public better served, ■ "So loiig'as small departnients exisit, economy and efficiency are, not likely to be regarded by them as of equal iin'portance to the aggraiidisation of the departments, This condition will probably be kept in check to a certain extent by classification, It is not, however, unknown for a recommendation to be made involving a change in ,HHc of an officer which is stated to be more or less formal, and for tlic recommendation to lie followed by an application I for promotion, the improved status being used as a Jever.. Therefore, it lias been the constant endeavour of the Commission Cfs to extend •nterever possible the policy of co-operation between departments, particularly in the matter of specialand routine office work, and this has proved useful and economical,'' In regard to the seniority list the Commissioners say that attention lias been given to the preparation of a seni-. ority. list for each department, but' in view of the conflicting claims which must arise as the result of temporary officers having become automatically permanent in 1907,110 satisfactory progress has been'made. The Public , Service lists for departments other than the Post and Telegraph Department are not therefore regarded as seniority lists. There is no urgency about the matter, as the principle of the Public Service Act is to place merit and fitness'before long service', and it .would probably be a,s well to defer the issue of a aeitiority list until the iiext ie-dassification of the Service lakes place; By that time promotions aud other changes will have determined seniority'in the majority of cases, As the Post.-and Telegraph Dcipartment had beck classified for twenty-one years before the Commissioners assumed office, there has been no difficulty in continuing its list on a seniority basis, The Commissioners have, wherever practicable, maintained the imuciple of filling vacancies in tlio 'higher positions from within the Service, and only in a lew isolated cases has il been considered/necessary to invite applications' from': outside the Service, This principle tlie : Cominissioiicrs hope to continue..' At the same time, they fed that it is due,-to-the officers themselves to state iii plain ianguagc that difficulties al'o being experienced in finding capable officers to' lill positions of responsibility," particularly) officers with initiative and- possessing a knowledge of higher accounts work, to- '1 gethcrwith a capacity'to supervise and control. ■ 1 • " The standing-invitation conveyed by i regulation No. 17 to-officers to suggest improvements in work : 'aml methods of the departments has not been responded | to as welhas dui'iiig the previous year. I Suggestions to the number-of sixty- < three have been for,warded to th<;..Com- ] niissioners.- ' x ' , ' It is estimated, as r at' the Jst of April, I l'Jlo, .that classified salaries wili be f underspent by approximately £BO,OOO , for all departments,.including the Post I aud Telegraph, owing tO-thc absence of I officers at the war, Inif it will be jieces- 'i sary tp set apart against, this nn * ox- 1 peiiditure estimated; at £O,OOO for per- . maneiit and temporary'assistance, other i llf'an tht supplied to the .Defence De- 1 partiiient for its special work. The c difference between these ttvo amounts is principally explainable by the fact : that the Post and-Telegraph Dephrtinent has been able to fill the placcs of absent 1 officers by engaging'juniors, mid aping- t ing temporary promotion for others. It J may not be possible to continue this. 6 ■■■ ' ' - »• I