EXCEPTION TAKEN TO EXEMPTIONS

NZ Truth, 5 October 1918, Page 5

EXCEPTION TAKEN TO EXEMPTIONS

PUBLIC TRUSTEE AND HIS OffiCEBS

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What the Public Trustee Says

Dear "Truth," — SinCe the. commencement of the calling up of the 2nd Division,, it has become apparent to even the most casual observer that whilst on one hand the heads of Government Departments have no difficulty whatever m obtaining exemption for their officers from military service, an ordinary employer or small business man is turned down, .very often, when a good case is presented. ..In. reading, my p_aper this morning. (September -24), I came upon a case m point, an appeal made by the Public . Trustee for indeflnila leave from camj) for one" Private B. T. O. Downard. I have been informed that this man has been attending the Public Trust Office daily for the. last .fortnight, the last week "of which he."" "' HAS" ftISC ARtiEfr J HIS UWlf'ORM 1 "' so that leave has evidently...be.en",gTantr ed him by .the back-door me.£hpd.i, .-I understand that: He • was appointed to a position over, the: heads of a number of permanent officers of. ;,the < .Public Trust Office who. are thoroughly trained for this particular position, and who are now called upon to coach Downard m his duties. .. It seems incredible that the head of the department,, knowing, these facts, should have appealed for him on the grounds that he was essential to the office, when the. same. Public Trustee, stated, 0n,.; previous occasions that it; required at ;least two years' training to fit an accountant for this special work" The' Public"' TfUste"e-fur= ther stated that it was practically impossible to obtaiiv men with the necessary qualifications, but that statement, like many previous statements made before the Appeal Board, is contrary to fact. Take the case of the officer-in-charge of the Native. Division of the same office. The Board granted him exemption on the .Public Trustee's statement that he.was essential to the office on account of his special know-

Trustee^ appeal, : .it -As., true that ■ the office.-'lias, on various oceasions,_.urged the necessity of special training m the qfflcej.^but\©owriard's case^w,as^e.xcep,tional in.' that he, had had a long- and yat-ied^experience "ml other Government Departments,, and had m addition the r accountancy qualifications which would have enabled him to take up'a.responsible position m the "Public Trust office with a minimum ot training m the special .requirements of the .office, A_s alreatiy pointed out, fiownard's appbintment;;was; made by the Commissioner m open competition •with alt others m the service "Who cared ib apply. "3.., The, statement made to the Military /.Service Board that if was^pracr tically , impossible "to'VpfiHiri' men " witti the _necessary "qualifications ha<3 refer"ehce to temporary employees only. There are. a. large" number of jperm'^nent officers-absent -dri- military ■ "service)

and the office obviously cannot fill their places by permanent appointments. . ■A. With regard- to : the other individuals ■mentioned, the officer formerly m charge- of : the native division was, subsequent to his exemption, appointed to a higher, position", and" a qualified solicitor placed temporailly m charge of .the native division until a satisfactory permanent appointment w as made. The position was explained to the Military Service :Boai*d, when it was clearly shown that the first mentioned officer; was performing equally essential -work as that performed at the time of his exemption. As. regards the secretary^ to, the Office Board, IT IS UNTRUE ' ; that the Military Service Board was informed' that he had- been-in --the -office "seventeen, years. What was stated was that he had been that period m the Government -service, 'and the point which was most strongly urged .m favor of his exemption was that he was performing duties of a highly-confidential-nature m connection with ■the Imperial Supplies Department, as •^ell as with the newly-constituted Public Trust Office Board.