CIVIL SERVICE GROWTH

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1935, Page 7

CIVIL SERVICE GROWTH

REPLY MADE TO CRITICS

EXPANSION OF SOCIAL SERVICES.

DIFFICULTY OF CURTAILMENT. OFFICERS’ SALARIES NOT TOO BIG. (By Telegraph—Special Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. Criticism often expressed against the growth of the public service is answered in the annual report of the public service commissioner which was tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. The report is signed by the acting-commis-sioner, Mr. A. D. Thomson, and the act-ing-assistant-commissioner, Mr. T. Park, no permanent appointment to the position made vacant by the retirement of Mr. P. D. N. Verschaffelt having yet been made. “To the casual observer the fact that the public service is gradually growing in numbers furnishes sufficient material for the familiar cry that the service is overstaffed,” the report states. “However, the ever increasing demand for the expansion of social services of all kinds must inevitably swell the numbers of State servants. _ “The growth of social services is, of course, political and when times are good is probably regarded by the taxpayer with a benevolent eye. In times of financial depression, however, the taxpayer becomes alarmed at the magnitude of the salary bill and oft-repeated cries of overstaffing and financial prodigality are raised. , , , . “Once social services are established it becomes an exceedingly difficult matter at a later date to dispense with or curtail them. They have come to be regarded by the taxpayer as a right or necessity and any curtailment is much resented.” It is stated that in many departments the depression resulted in an increased volume of work but every effort has been made for the diversion of staffs from one department to another, depending on the amount of work to be dealt with. Since 1933 it had been necessary to resume gradually the appointment of cadets to the service. The report emphasises that the salaries paid to heads of Government departments do not compare favourably with those received by occupants of no more important positions in the commercial world. If the public service is to be made attractive to men of capacity it is all important that the remuneration should be adequate and commensurate with the importance of the work, it is contended. It is also held to be desirable that some improvement should be made in the salaries of the higher professional officers.

Discussing salary adjustments,’ the report states that even with two percentage restorations of the 1931 and 1932 cuts anomalies existed which meant that certain men were not being paid in a manner which recognised extra responsibilities. Those anomalies could only be adjusted at a general regrading of the service, which it was hoped would be carried out next'year.

The need for a sound pension scheme is also' emphasised, with the statement that even if the Government is unable at present to consider complete rehabilitation of funds legislation should be introduced to tighten up in this direction. There is discussion of the proposal by an organisation representing returned soldiers and public servants to have the basis of the superannuation allowance altered by adding five years to the actual service of each returned soldier, allowing! retirement at the maximum pension rate after 35. years’ service. It was estimated that the extra cost involved would average more than £750 for each returned soldier public' servant and the report states that there seems to be no justification for granting such a concession. ——