ECONOMIES IN STAFFING

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1931, Page 7

ECONOMIES IN STAFFING

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

VQ PLACES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE..

W56 P4W» _ . t . L ; By Tejegrgph—-Pres? Association, : Wellington, Last Night. A definite indication of the GovernInent’s intention to economise in the staffing of the State departments was contained in the statement by the Public Service Commissioner to-day that it was unlikely that one of the 1265 boys and girls who had this year' passed the public Service Entrance examination •would ho able to find a position in the Government service. This also applies to secondary school pupils who have passed the matriculation examination, and it is pointed out that even they will have no chance of stepping into openings in spite of the fact that in th® ordinary course of events they would take precedence. It was stated officially that the policy at the moment was not to take any boys into; the Public Service at all', except th fill vacancies, although a vacancy Would not be filled if this could be avoided. There was no immediate prospect of boys being taken into the service, especially in view of th© fact that there were about’ 100 available from the Railway Department and that these were being drafted into positions as they occurred. A few years ago the Public Service absorbed between 500 and 600 boys and girls each year, but the annual wastage amounted to about 20 per cent, of th© total taken on. This wastage was not occurring at present for the reason that no positions were offering outside the service. It was not unusual for a large number of boys to leave the service and enter upon legal work shortly after they had received their positions. In many .instances they were brought into contact with members of the legal protection and it often happened that the best of those employed at the be--gipning. of a y<?ar were enticed to enter legsl offices by offers of from £1 to £2 a week more than they were receiving in the employ of the Government.

As & rwult of the present depression it was stated to. be natural that there should not be the same proportion of wantage in the Public Service. Those boys who entered the service were only too pleased to stay in their positions, knowing that they! had little or no chance of jobs elsewhere. Certain vacancies had to be filled, but it was not the present policy to take on anyone from outside, the service.

Apart from the 1265 who passed the public Service Entrance examination hundreds who have passed matriculation or who have obtained higher ing certificates will also be affected by the inability of the State'to offer them employment this year. It is a sign of the tinifls that the Public Service Com’ misaiontr is receiving applications for position# in the service as cadets from young men who have sections of’ university degrees. They are willing to start at an annual salary of £BO, to which would be added £35 in the first year if the successful applicant had to live away from horpe. Explaining that their onerous duties prevented members of the Post and Telegraph Department from taking time off for morning and'afternoon tea, the secretary of the P. and T. Employees’ Association explained tp-day that, neither the practice nor the commissioner’s edict applied' to that branch. The department did not .come under the control of the commissioner, said the secretary, and rigid economy and discipline were already being practised under ' the. direct control of the permanent head-' The idea of morning and afternoon te# for P. and T. men was a myth. Evep in • the telephone exchanges and. like positions had but one break of from 10 to 15 minutes for a cup of tea when their duties extend-i ed for a straight period beyond midday W evening meal hours.