FIFTY YEARS AGO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21983, 14 December 1934, Page 10

FIFTY YEARS AGO

CIVIL SERVANTS WARNED

PARTICIPATION IN TRADE ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT The fact that civil servants were taking active part in trading company affairs was causing the Government some concern fifty years ago, and the issue of a circular condemning the practice caused something of a controversy. " The circular which has been issued to civil servants, discountenancing their taking active part in connection with public companies, has caused a good deal of comment," stated an article in the New Zealand Herald of December 15, 1884. "The document states: 'The attention of Ministers has been called to the fact that public officers are in the habit of attending meetings of trading companies, in which they apparently hold shares, and taking prominent part in the proceedings. Ministers, although desirous of encouraging thrift in the members of the Civil Service, think that the practice of taking active part in companies of this kind, in which the interests of merchants and others are concerned, is not desirable, and is a breach of the spirit, if not of the letter, of the regulations of the conduct of the Civil Service. The Government hopes the practice will not continue.' " The memorandum has caused a good deal of dissatisfaction among those concerned. The late Government not only allowed members of the Civil Service to take part in meetings of local companies as shareholders, but also consented to their becoming directors, on the understanding that no official time was taken up with the work."