THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1936, 2 April 1891, Page 22

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

INTERVIEW WITH THE PREMIER.

HOW REDUCTIONS ARE TO BE MADE.

The Premier was interviewed last week by the correspondent of the New Zealand Herald, and supplied authentic information in respect to the retrenchment proposals of the Cabinet. Mr Ballance stated that there was no intention of reducing salaries, but wherever it is found that there is a superfluous office it will be abolished. If a department 13 over-officered, the namber of offic rs must be reduced.

" There are," said the Premier, "two leading ideas in directing the economic scheme which the Government intend to recommend to Parliament :—(1): — (1) That tho future basis of the nervine shall be fixed according to the several grades, with the salaries annexed ; (2) that if their scheme be accepted as a permanent classification, that is, of course, to say that it shall not be subject to capricious alterations — there will be no secrecy as to the decision at which the Government shall have arrived. The whole scheme, when completed, will bo published in the Gazette. Every officer in the service will know his exact position in it, wh&t his salary is, and that it is secure to him. The Government aie desirous that every officer shall have work equivalent to what salary he gets ; and we are also desirous that the salary should be a fair and liberal payment for the work it represents. We see no other way of reforming the civil service thaa by clearing off the superfluous officers ; and if they are superfluous officers they must go. There is no help for it. It is no doubt a hardship for many, but there is absolutely no other way of economy. We are as anxious as any other person in the community that no unnecessary hardship should be inflicted on those who will have to retire. As the same time, there can be no retrenchment without discharging superfluous officers, aod the public have loudly demanded retrenchment that bhall lighten the burden of tbe taxpayer. 11 Under the new classification the publin service will be divided into eight divisions, with salaries ranging as follow:— (1) From £800 to £440; (2) from £440 to £365; (3) from £340 to £280 ; (4) from £265 fco £220 ; (5) from £210 to £180 ; (6) from £170 to £140; (7) from £130 to £100 ; (8) c*dats, who, on completing their term of cadetship, will be entitled to a salary of £100 a year. There is no neoeaaity to go to

Parliament for any fresh legislation in connection with this subject. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1886 gives the necessary powers for classifying the service. As to the working of the general scheme, there will be no hard and fast line adopted. The Board of Advice, consisting of the heads of d< payments, inform the Government of all details which may affect tbe claims of any particular cla^s ; nor is it insisted that every civil service official must submit to the proposals that we now make. Any member of the service may appeal, and claim to be put into a higher grade. Upon all such questions the Board of Advice will be of great assistance. I may say that no salary can be increased under the general scheme when it shall have been adopted. Whenever it may be considered by the Government that officers of a particular department shall have earned an increase of remuneration, Ministers will make a representation to the House to that effect, and will recommend that a specific lump sum shall be appropriated to be distributed among the officers who have earned fitjeh increase.

" As to promotion, when a vacancy occurs in a particular class, the most competent man in the grade below will be appointed to fill it. With respect to allowances on retiring, there is no provision made for that out of the revenue of the colony.

" Since the passing of the Civil Ssrvice Reform Act of 1886 every person entering the civil service has been obliged to submit to a deduction of 5 per cent, upon bis salary, the sum so deducted being payable to him or to bis legal representative upon his retirement or his death. The Government think this is not necessary, so long as Ministers are certain that some equivalent provision is made by the person hupself. To meet this position the actuaries of the Government Life Insurance department will be asked to prepare a table providing for the life insurance of civil servants, as well as for annuities payable at definite ages. As I have said, the whole of the scheme thus contemplated will be gazetted bo as to allow every person affected by it the right to appeal against anything affecting his own position in the service. It will be laid before Parliament at an early date in the next session, and the Legislature will be asked to pass a bill to give effect to the above classification and secure the salaries annexed to the various classes."