PARLIAMENT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 146, 12 August 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, August 11.' . The Rouse met at 2.30 p.m. The Hon. T. Mackenzie continued the debate on Mr Herclman’s motion for leave to introduce a Civil Service Reform Bill. His experience of the Civil Service was that the masters wore most considerate. Many of the charges made against the present administration of the public service were of a nebulous character, and should !.i> specific with regard to suggestions of sycophancy and time service. He could dispel every one of them as far as his experience of the Civil Service milt. He had not dropped across anything of the description. The s?: vice was an honourable and eflic out one. He did not entirely bclin\ oin promotion by seniority. If a board to control the Civil Service wove set up it would Dc to allow the wealthy to have the pull over the rest o! the people. Friends of the commissioners would get preference in appomtmnts. Under tlie present system preference was given to children of agd people who have no other means of support outside their children. The greatest possible consideration was extended as far as the interests of the State allowed to sick and aged members of the community. Mr J. C. Thompson said there was as far as he could sec, no picking and choosing between the rich and poor in the choice of civil servants. If a hoard of commissioners wore set up, the functions of the representatives of the people would be usurped. With regard to classification, ho did not believe in promotion by seniority. There must be efficiency. Promotion should go to the man who used his brains in flic public benefit. It was, he admitted, impossible to classify brains. Mr Luke said he bad never hoard of civil servants in electorate ex-picsr-ing an opinion in favour of a board as against Ministerial control. He hoped the Bill would not pass.

Mr Russell did not think Mr Herdman had made out a case that would su] port 1 •' y argument. Mr Hardy interjected that he knew of a case where a candidate who was No. 50 on the examination list who did not g't into the service, but \c. IGO dal Mr Russell said if that was a fact time slum;.- bo an enquiry into the matter. Mr Hardy: “It occurred last month,” Before Parliament passed the Bill it should be satisfied there was some good reason for it. The Hon. D. Buddo said he would not have spoken had it not been for the remarks passed by Mr Hardy. Ho nturod to think tlie member for Ec-lwyn had been misled. If he would write a statement of the case and present it to the Minister a reply would be sent. The statement made was a most damaging one if it was to ho understood that any list could bo passed over and set aside in the way suggested. He declared that Ministers had nothing to ilo with classification lists. . Mr Hardy explained that the case lie referred to was not that of a candidate for admission to the service, but the case of a man who was already in the service and had his place on the classification list. There was great dissatisfaction in the service. It could be heard everywhere. He went on to explain that the man lie had referred to was betwen 50 and 60 on a certain classification list. He saw r i certain officer who explained to him that others higher up could not be passed over. He agreed. Later on ne saw the same individual and pointed out that No. 160 or 170 on the list had received preference. The man in question said, “It was not me. It is those fellows in Wellington.” That was the position. The Hon. R. McKenzie said Air Hardy should state the exact case. He ventured to suggest that nothing of the kind had occurred without good rouson. Mr Hardy said he ,s certain it IPs case and would proto it at the proper lin e. Mr Stalworthy maintained that there had been absolutely no dissat.;'action expressed by Civil servants, therefore, there was no necessity for such a measure. Laave to introduce the Bill was granted, and the Bill was read a first time. A despatch was read from the King to the Governor conveying to members of the House of Representatives n's appreciation of their message of •ongratulation.

Mr Herdman twitted the Uon. T. Mackenzie with supporting the prooosal in 1901, but now lie wowed it in a different light. The Defence Force regulations woie laid on the table. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m., i n.d went into committee on the h own Planning Bill. Mr Allen objected to the section wovidipg that qfter fv considering a icheme the Town Planning * Board mould report on it to the Govornor-in-Council and make recommendations, is it provided dual control. He was prepared to trust tho hoard, and thought reference to the Governor-in-Ponncil should be deleted. Mr Myers supported the objection. Mr Russell suggested that the final authority in the matter should be vested in tiie body answering to the English local government. The Minister might be president of this body. Messrs Davey, Wright and Witty objected to the power vested in the Goifcrnor-in-Cpimcil. Tho Hon. Mr Fowlds defended the 3oard. The Board, as he proposed t, answered to export officers of the Local Government Board, as at Homo. Mr Anderson moved an amendment that the Board, after considering tho scheme, may approve it with such modifications as it may think fit. Tho Hon. R. McKenzie said that 10 one in the country had more consideration for the wish of tho people than tho Governor-in-Council, Mr Anderson explained that his amendment tended more towards the protection of smaller towns. The Hon. Mr Fowlds interjected that the catch-cry against the Gover-ior-in-Council was a futile one. It vas a new thing to propose that the anal seal of responsibility should be in anyone outside the Ministry. The Governor-in-Council was a protection for tho individual. Mr Russell said it was not a matter of making a catch cry of the Go-vornor-in-Council, hut of fighting for i principle of local self-government. Vt what point wore the powers of Ministers to cease, and how far did flic powers of the people go P Ho stood tor local self-government. The early '•oftiers had fought for and won it, ind he intended to stand up for it.