THE CIVIL SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16268, 29 June 1916, Page 5

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

COMMISSIONER CONTROL.

A meeting of the Auckland branch of the Public Service Association was held last evening in the Government Buildings, the following Departmental representatives being present:—Messrs. T. P. Gilfedder, chairman; J. Findlay, Government Insurance W. G. Bell, Machinery; T. Culpan Registrar General's Department; A. Ferguson, Internal Affairs F. Carroll. ' Mental Hospital; Sergeant-Major Writ Hey Defence; A. V. Fraer, Official Assignee's Department; S. H. Agar and J. D. Stack Public Works; J. M. Scully, Marine; Miss Morrison, Labour; E. Buckler, CustomsF. C. Coombe, Public Trust; P. Shenton, Public W. J. Bowering, Lands and Deeds; W. Johnson, Lands and Survey, and F. W. Grey, secretary. It was decided that all lists of members be made up at the end of the present month. Transfers of officers are to be notified by representatives as soon as same are effected.

Commenting on the general situation of commissioner control, the chairman said he was convinced that the commissioners were not as bad as they were painted. According to those best able to judge, a great change had taken place during the past year m the sphere of control, and there was a general tendency to meet the rank and file, while a common bond of affinity between the heads and subordinates happily loomed in the future. It was quite agreed on all sides, the chairman said, that fair plav and the exercise of common sense on the part of permanent heads and intermediate officers on the one hand, and loyalty, trust, and respect of the staffs on the other hand was absolutely necessary if efficiency was to be the keynote of success. If commissioner control became a failure it would be largely attributable to the obstinacy and unfairness of intermediate heads or branch officialdom. Laxity of control was not sought by anyone, but pin-pricks, " reporting," and censuring was deprecated as pernicious. Those in authority were quite agreed on that point. Officers in the ranks must do their dutyespecially in these troublesome times—but they liked encouragement and sympathy. The commissioners seemed ready to investigate every case of alleged injustice, while the value of the Appeal Board could not be over-estimated. The association executive had access to the Government, commissioners, Minister for Police, etc., so that all State officials, including police, should be members of the association. Speaking at the Civil Service banquet at Wellington, the Minister in charge of the service, Mr. Russell, had summed up the situation thus, under four heads : (1) Fair play to every Civil servant; (2} absolute justice as regards promotion ; (3) reasonable pensions and superannuation ; (4) absolute and equal opportunity to rise to top of service— holding back. This, said, Mr. Gilfedder. evoked great applausepermanent heads joining rank and file in manifestations of approval.