THE PUBLIC SERVICE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7914, 25 September 1911, Page 1

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

CLASSIFICATION AND OTHER [WATTERS DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER, A deputation representing the Civil Service Association interviewed the Prime Minister on Saturday on matters affecting tho service.

Mr Airport said tiro deputation. Tvantcd to know if the classification scheme would ho brought into operation this session. It was only to bo expected that a considerable number of appeals would be made against tho classification, and as -this would take considerable time the association would be glad if the scheme were gazetted as early as possible, so as to allow plenty of time before the Bill became law. Another matter was the necessity for an alteration of tho law regarding tho claims to superannuation of widows of members of tho service. Tho superannuation allowance was *£l3 a year. In tho Appropriation Act of last session a clause in section 26 provided that if a person entitled to tho compensation died whilst in tho service the right of his widow to the «£lB a year would bo taken away, and that all she would receive would be tho amount standing to tho credit of her husband. Under the Act, also, the claims of creditors of the deceased had first to be recognised, so it was possible the widow would bo left without anything, i The association thought some oversight- had occurred when tho legislation was put through. The association also desired to ask that there bo greater elasticity in tho regulation regarding extended leave to officers. The practice was to allow one month on full pay, and if extended absence was sought that it be given without pay. The association suggested that individual cases bo dealt with on their merits. There,were instances of where official's were entitled to more than ono month. Mr E, S. Pope put forward a suggestion that tho public offices bo closed, at noon on Saturdays in the largo centres. This was a privilege which was granted to tho office employees of private firms. If the Government could not gee its way to grant this as a privilege, the service was prepared to start work at & am., an hour earlier, so as to secure tho time off. Since tho operation of the clause in the Act which gave permanent •- positions to men who had been employed five years, the employees who had passed the junior Civil Service examination, but who were too old to take up tho studios necessary to >ass the senior examination, were under some degree of hardship. Tho deputation wished to suggest that instead of the senior Civil Service examination, men over twenty-five years of ago should be allowed to sit for a special examination in the Acts and regulations administered by the department, and if they passed, they should be allowed to receive a salary higher than the present maximum of £2OO.

Sir Joseph Ward said that he proposed to lay tho classification scheme on the table of the House as soon as possible. He wanted to make it clear that whatever increments were to be given to tho civil servants this session, they would require to ’bo voted upon the Supplementary Estimates. A considerable amount of time would be required for consideration of the appeals and other details. It was almost certain all this could not ho don© within tho limits of the session. The coming into operation of tho classification would requite to stand over until all tfche appeals were dealt with. , This would probably mean, waiting until nest session. Eor this reason he had said tho increments this year would be dealt with on the. Supplementary Estimates. As soon as the report of the Classification Committee was laid upon the table of tho House an opportunity would be given for its consideration. He hoped tho result of the scheme .would _ be to place the service on a better basis than ever before. .As for the clause of the Anpronriation Act affecting tho widows of' officers, the alteration of tho law was brought about as the result of representations made to. him that the law as it stood would injuriously affect the claims of officers who might pass away, though the service would he left in a very satisfactory position. Tho alteration had been made after a great deal of consideration. It meant a good deal of financial responsibility to tho country. If there had been any omission by which the rights of widows wore not preserved, he was prepared to make it optional whether they drew compensation or allowance. He would be glad to look into the question of leave of absence. The applications for leave had been so great that an alteration had _to be made to limit them. Tn case of illness there was no difficulty, but the growth of tho service made the accumulation of leave impossible. Naturally his sympathy was with the proposal to close at’noon. but there were considerable difficulties., It would bo unfair to close at noon in the centres . without closing at country offices. It was quite certain that railwayman and postal employees could not get away at noon. Ho did not see how a way could be found out of these difficulties. He would consider the suggestion regarding the special examination for men over twenty-five years of age. He could not give an offhand answer. The leading men of the country insisted upon a good standard of education in the Civil Service, but this urns a proposal to evade the conditions which were required of those in the ■service. If a man passed the special examination in one departmentV Acts and regulations, it was a logical thing to assume that he would stay there all his life, hut. as a matter of fact, the service wa* 1 interchangeable.