THE PUBLIC SERVICE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10001, 19 June 1918, Page 4

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

BXEOXJTIVE COUNCIL OF ASSOCIATION MEETS.

The annuail conference of tho Executive Council of the New Zealand Public Service Association was opened Jn Wellington yesterday morning. Mr G. AUport president) was in the chair. The annual report in the course of a review of the past year states:— '•The work of the organisation has increased bo such an extent, and tho individual attention required is so great, that the executive is of opinion that the time has arrived .to consider tho appointment of a permanent general secretary. The question is to 'be discussed' at the conference. "The credit balance at tha end of March was .£753 8s sd, an increase of .£l6B 3s 4d over tho previous year. The amount written oif, representing the general fund's share of the subscriptions of members with the forces who axe regarded as financial during their absence, was .£133 5s Bd. Apart from the amount shown as outstanding in the balance-sheet, the statement of the year's working can be regarded as satisfactory.

"The association, through the Council of State Service Associations, succeeded in securing payment of : the war bonus as in previous years... Its efforts, ■however, although satisfactory to -the rail-way servants, insofar as it . secured for married railway servants an additional war bonus of Is a day, was resultless so far as the general Public Service was concerned. This matter, too,, will be discussed by the conference, and we need only say here that the differentiation of treatment is unfair to members of the general Public Service on the same- footing as the railway servants who benefited, and, we believe, cannot logically bo defended. We hope ghat the matter will not.be lost sight' of, . and that strenuous efforts will be made for equality of treatment." PRESIDENTS ADDRESS. In welcoming the delegates, the president said he thought that from such conferences only good could result. There might be misunderstandings at times. The executive in Wellington waa not always intimately acquainted with, tho neieds and aspiratiojns of members throughout the Dominion, and they got those needs voiced from representatives at the annual meeting of the council. (Hear, hear.) It was pleasing to seo that the association was going ahead, as disclosed by tho report. As to the 817 members who had loft with tho Expeditionary Forces, they would bo relieved of payment of their contributions while thex were away. In his opinion that was a very proper course to follow. Those men had givon up a great doal (many had given up their lives) lor tho sako of their country, and all honour to them. Their action not only ronected honour upon themselves, but upon the association.. (Applause.) As regarded tho financial position of the association, he said it was necessary that in such an institution they should have a strong finance. He had hoard it said that some members considered there was no need for them to have a surplus. That, ho thought, was due to a misunderstanding of the position. No institution could bo strong unless it had a sound and solid finance. They did not know when it might be necessary to oxpend funds on unforseen contingencies, which might arise at any time, and if they hied a strong finance they wore strong as -an association. He therefore urged upon the council and upon the association as a whole to always be careful to see that it had a good (reserve fund. The president referred to the question of appointing a permanent general secretary. In his opinion, and in the opinion of the eseoutive committee, the time had now arrived when the question should bo dealt with.. They had boen singularly fortunate, since tho association took a now lease of life a few years ago, in having guch a secretary as Mr F. W. Millar.- (Applause.) Mr Millar's services were everywhere appreciated. Ho waa not only a good secretary, he was a good organiser, but, as they knew, he had not beon able to devote the whole of Ms time to tho interests of the association. The speaker therefore felt sure that the executive would take into very serious consideration the question of appointing a permanent secretary who would be ahle to devoto tho whole of his time to tho work. The association had been very fortunate in connection with the publication of the Journal," the editorß of which had carriod out their responsible duties without any remuneration. (Applause.) The association had dealt with one matter which he thought they would find in the future would bo of considerable benefit to members, namely, the formation of co-operative stores. That matter was now well under way, and they hoped that before long a start would Obe made. The difficulties had been great, especially those whioh had been caused by the war, because it was almost impossible at the present time [to «et supplies from Etagland. However, he believed that before long they -would be able to start on a small scale, that at any rate, after the war, theTo would be a great development, whioh would bo of considerable benefit to the public service as a whole. As to the legislation which had foeen passed in 1917 affecting the rights of pubiio servants, he said the association knew nothing of it until it had gone through. They thought they should have beon advised of what was intended and have been placed in a position to make their representations, and the question now was, what could they do to endeavour to get that legislation repealed f He did not think it was fair legislation, in view of the agreement which existed between tho Government and thp public servants. Certain rights and privileges weire given members of tho service ■ when trey entered. Those wore taken away without their knowledge or consent. The agreement was "broken by one side. They knew that in war time it was necessary to do many things which were not right in times of peace, but he thought those were matters which tho interests of tho country did not roquiro should be dealt with in tho way they wore dealt with in tho Appropriation Act of 1917, and ho only hoped they would be able to get tho Government to see that their point of view was right and arrange for tho repeal of that legislation at the earliest possiblo moment. (Applause.) The report and balanco-sheot were adopted. The following remits wore adopted:— APPEAL BOARD. "That the Government, ho requested to amend tho Public Service' Act to provides for tho appointment of an additional member to tho. Board', of . Appeal, throe mombcrs of the board to form a quorum. That m.caso of an'appeal' by an officor of a department to which any momber of the Board of Appeal belongs, suoh member shall not sit on tho hearing of that appeal. That in case of tho illness, or other unavoidable absence of tho chairman of the board, one of tho other membori of tho board shall bo elected by th« board to act as chairman for tho time being.'' "That tha Appeal Board bo required to supply appellants with tho reason for the dismissal of thoir appeals." "That the Government bo asked to amend the Public Service Act, 19]li, so ns to confer jurisdiction on tho Public Sorvico Appeal Board to adjudicate upon questions relating to the ratos of allowances, seniority, length of sorvico for the

purposes of seniority, designation, and validity of appointments." "That tho Government bo asked to amend section 51 of the Public Service Act, 1912. so as to provide for the right of appeal against dismissal without reasons being given." "That tho association ask the Government to introduce an amendment of the Public Service Act to provide that the member elocted by tho general public seryico sit on the Appeal Board when it is hearing an appeal against the appointment of an officer of the general service to a position in that service." TRAVELLING EXPENSES. "That appellants resident outside Wellington be allowed their full ' travelling and hotel expenses under the ordinary scale rates while attending the Appeal Board, provided the Appeal Board hiis not held the appeal to be frivolous." COOK ISLANDS. "That the Cook Islands Act, 1914, be amended to grant the same privileges to officers, who' are supernumary officers of the New Zealand Government, as are granted to officers under the Public Service Act, 1912, in regard to dismissals and rights of appeal." MEAT INSPECTORS. "That meat inspectors employed as abattoir managers be reclassified and allowed to proceed to the maximum cf first-grade meat inspectors, and that the whole of the salary bo paid by the Government." SUSPENDED OFFICERS. "That the Government be requested to so amend Section sii of the Public Service Act, 1912, that any officer who may be suspended from duty shall, if such suspension be romoved after inquiry, be restored to tho position from whioh he was suspended." FILLING VACANCIES. "That the Public Service Commissioner be requested to fill all vacant positions as soon as possible, as an injustice is being done to many officers by reason cf some positions remaining vacant while others are being filled." HIGH COMMISSIONERS STAFF. "That the. Government be requested to instruct the High Commissioner to lavourably consider the application of any New Zealand soldier to. fill any vacancy that may occur on his staff." AMENDMENT TO REGULATIONS. "That Public Service Regulation No. 22 be amended by adding the following words:— "But no officer shall be required to perform duties of a lower grade than those from which he has been removed for a longer period than one month without the consent of the Public Service Commissioner." AN EKPERT DIVISION. "That the Government be asked to amond the Public Service Act by providing for an expert division." SYSTEM OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. "That the association urge upon the Government tho advisability of setting up a commission of experts, not necessarily members of tho Public Service, for tne purpose of examining the present system of public accounts, to report to the Government whether, in their opinion,' the system includes adequate safeguards against fraudulent manipulation of public moneys."