INFORMATIVE ANALYSIS OF MAIN WEAKNESSES IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27080, 14 May 1949, Page 6

INFORMATIVE ANALYSIS OF MAIN WEAKNESSES IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

AUCKLAND, May 13. Support for fewer Government departments, the delegation and decentralisation of authority, and clarity and brevty above a m the work of the public service was expressed by Mr R. M. Campbell, chair man of the Public Service Commission, in an address to the convention of the New Zealand Institute of Public Administration. He said, however, that if asked what the commission was domg so far in the supervision of departmental structure, organisation, and efficiency!* w „uld have to be, ■' little, and that not very welt.”

Mr Campbell said that sometimes he sympathised with those who urged a longer working week so that new an better departmental offices, schools and hospitals could be built, thus bringing greater efficiency. He said he wasa supporter in theory for equal pay' opportunities for women, although there were difficulties in bringing this about. Members of the public service had a right to independence from the vagaries of party politics, and exceptions to this should be scrutinised even when they had the approval ot the IViblic Service Association.

He said the recent appointment of the Director of Broadcasting was a case in point. Although it was agreed that the right man got the post, it was not right that after, at most, three years he should be subject to replacement at the direction of the Minister. He also emphasised that public servants should be kept away from “ commercial temptations.”

Mr Campbell criticised the restriction of candidates for positions in the public service almost entirely to those already in the service. He pointed out that outside applications must under the law be markedly superior to anyone inside the service, and that an outsider granted a cost was obliged to accept it knowing that a later appeal might reverse the “ How often do you think we dare take this risk? ” asked Mr Campbell, pointing out that the restriction applied to New Zealand’s own Rhodes Scholars and others who had served the country well. He said he recognised the position of those who started young to make a career in the public service, but pointed out that private firms and local bodies could select the best man available even from inside the service, while the reverse was generally not the case. Mr Campbell replied to a statement by a speaker by saying that he did not believe there was a clash between the duties of the commission to appoint staff and supervise general decartmtntai efficiency. Only by personal appointments did the commission have a direct say in the work of departments. Mr Campbell said relations between the commission and the public service were cordial and happv, but those with certain people with authority to speak for the Public Service Association were difficult.