CIVIL SERVANTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6492, 11 April 1908, Page 7

CIVIL SERVANTS

CLASSIFICATION AND PROMOTION. THE AUSTRALIAN SYSTEM. 80ME POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION. At tho present time particulars of how Um r:iv 11 Service i* conducted in Australia, IxAli by tho Government of the Common won Ith an<l by the State Government of Now South Wales, will probably bo of groat interest. Practically every State in tho Commonwealth has -dealt with its service in a similar way, namely, by the appointment of a Public Service Hoard and tho classification of its •officers according to merit, but the two Government* quoted afford in their latest report* the best example* of how t’ o work is accomplished, and the principles that undcrly the system.

Mr D. C. McLachlan, who has initiated and carried out the system of Civil Service promotion and classification in the Australian Commonwealth, speak* very utrongly on the principle* of promotion. He says:—lt appears to mo that the system of automatic increments, and of making promotion according to seniority, with which many of the Cornmon»wealth officials are still imbued, is responsible for many of the heart-burnings and tho lamentations that are heard when a meritorious ollicer is singled out for special recognition. .But happily that system is a thing of the past, and officers must become reconciled to tho fact that ail promotions In this service are and will lie made on tho basis of merit, oificioucy, and loyal service. Good result** can only be attained by a consistent acknowledgment of ability, and by openly ami readily recogni.si.ng It where it exists, and by at tho same time denying advancement to those who do not exhibit that zeal, initiative, and anxiety for tho welfare of tho service which should bo the attributes of> every official waking special recognition, and determined by tho interest ho shows in his work, to advance himself/'

PERSONAL INTEREST. Mr McLnchkm, after reviewing the numerous cases he had under consideration for the preceding year, concludes his report with the following general remarks :

“X have already pointed out that ono of tho greatest, if not the greatest, difficulty standing in the path Is tho absence of that personal interest which is so essential to tho financial and other success of any enterprise. Now, how is this to ho overcome? Tho remedy that suggests itself is by making it worth every officer's whilo to effect, or at least suggest, proper changes and reforms. There must bo introduced some powerful magnet sufficient in itself to attract from the service as a whole whatever talent or genius lies bidden, in its ranks, for I nm convinced that this service possesses many highly capable officers who only require to be encouraged and stimulated into action. But . under the present system, immediately such a one is selected for advancement, numbers send in appeals (which result in tho consumption of much valuable time and great expense) objecting to his preferment simply upon the ground that they have boon longer >n the service. There arc always to be found those who will champion the cause of seniority combined with mediocrity lift against exceptional talent; but this argument, carried to its conclusion, would mean that the man longest in the service should bo at tho top. Too many overlook the vital fact that there is no special virtue in having merely served for a. lengthened period any more than in having lived beyond the allotted span, unloss such tlrno has been usefully and Drofitnbly employed; in other words — "Wo Hve in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths; In feelings, not in figures on a dial. 'TTo most lives

Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best/* THE HALL-MARK OF SUCCESS.

"Although there are many in the serried who can never hope to attain any marked distinction, there are others who, possessing innate ability and natural aptitude, stamp whatever work they undertake with the hall-mark of success,” remarks the Commissioner. , "Not only should these bo rewarded in a manner commensurate with their services, but the resultant effect would bo to stimulate others by emulation to put forward their very best endeavours to seek similar benefits, the final result being that the whole service would progress in general all-round efficiency.” /■ EXCEPTIONAL ABILITY.

Further on the Commissioner adds:— ''Exceptional ability, however, must ultimately assert itself. Although at times chociuercd in its career, it will not be suppressed, but will silently thrust itself upon the notice . of those capable of according it due recognition. If the service is to advance m geneml calibre, it is, I thinks the duty Sf tho«* in authority to encourage special ability wherever it manifests itsolL such a policy being in entire accord with the expressed intentions of Parliament, in consonance with public wishes, and certainly in the best interests of the service as a whole. To that end it has been and will continue to bo my endeavour to _ avail myself of every opportunity to single out and advance as rapidly as possible, within the limits prescribed by law, officers who show themselves by their official acts to be the possessors of superior ability, the appeal provisions of the law notwithstanding;” , , , The foregoing is a fine example ol the principles upon which modern public services should bo conducted, and which the Commonwealth has adopted and maintained. NEW SOUTH WALES.

Other details are given in a capital report by the Public Service Board of New South Wales for TJm, m which appear tho following remarks:— “Of the promotion tdats little need be said. They have now been in operation for some years, and continue to terve'the purpose for wuicb they were instituted. The system has undoubtedly Increased tho efficiency and flexibility of officers by inducing them to take an Intelligent interest in tho general business of their department. It has also—end this was its principal aim—provided fit least a partial solution to tho problem how host to secure promotion, hy merit instead of by mere length of service. Tho characteristic of tho officers trained under tho system, is that they can put their hands with equal readiness to almost every kind of clerical work.” THE MERIT SYSTEM.

•Experience proves that tho merit tystera stimulates the able and ambitions. At tho same time there can. be no doubt that it makes the man of ordinnry capacity more versatile, and. therefore, more useful to tho department. Tho fear so often expressed that examinations, no matter how practical or how skilfully devised, would not really succeed in discovering the most efficient, receives no support from the records of tho Board’s examinations. Nor is there any evidence to show that capable men have fared badly in the tests. Some deserving men have, no doubt, failed; but inquiry will prove that in every such case tho weakness was a real weakness, which would show itself if the officer's work were changed. Because a clerk can write a fair hand, and perform routine work in a satisfactory manner, it by no means follows that ho will be capable of higher duties, involving , judgment, versatility, quick-

ness of perception, and power to espresi himself in passable English."

THE EXAMINERS’ AIM. ‘'ln the endeavour to make these examinations a test of executive ability, the examiners have originated the plan of putting their question* in tho form of practical problems, such as every day are- presented for solution, and of allowing the candidate* tho use of Acte, regulations, and any other helps that would be available in actual office work. This lias the advantage of curtailing memory work, and of laying the main stress upon the higher quality of judgment. The results were not at first encouraging. Many of those who, under the old system, might have scraped through by the aid of a retentive memory were now at a loss when confronted with a question which required a power of weighing evidence and of applying general principle* to particular caras. it is thus evident that the more perfect Die test the more fatal it is likely to prove to men trained simply in routine.

"Though they have every desire to bo as well as just to officers, it is impossible for the Hoard to ignore the fact that many of Ihoso whoso progress has apparently been barred by failure to pass tests are already adequately paid for tho work they do, or are capable of doing."