THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15265, 1 April 1913, Page 6

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

The Public Service Apt of last session comes into full operation to-day, giving the commissioners appointed at the beginning of the year complete control of the service. ■ The death-knell of political appointment and political promotion :to sounded when the present Government took office in July last to-day the Act which shuts out" the party officeseeker is in force, toad tlie way into the Civil Service is open only: to the capable. Appointments and promotions are to; be by.-merit and examination ; Ministers and members of Parliament can no longer use the Civil Service to give rewards to partisans, or hold out the prospect of a place in the Government service as the price of enthusiastic support at election time. The commissioners have the confidence of the best men, now in the service; they have no party interest to serve; they are bound by law to >. appoint ' only when the service is required, and then to select, without fear or favour, the applicant who has demonstrated his suitability for the position. In all countries, where the , commission method has supplanted j the patronage , system, the results have been enormously to the advan-1 tage of the servioes ■concerned, and the change can have no other result in New Zealand.