STAFFING POLICY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20104, 10 May 1935, Page 7

STAFFING POLICY

MORE UNIVERSITY MEN The Socialist London County Council is to draw a great proportion of its staff from the universities. The proposals of the General Purpurposes Committee to this effect were supported by both parties at a recent meeting of the council and adopted unanimously. Mr Herbert Morrison, leader of the council, explaining the apparent inconsistency of a working-class party deciding to go to the universities for recruits to the municipal services under its control, said:— "I have gone to universities, not as a student, but as a visitor, feeling that they were for the idle rich. Whilst there is still room for criticism on that point, I have come away impressed by the large and growing proportion of

university students who come from the ranks of the working class itself. “Therefore, we are not dealing with a class issue, but with an issue of common sense. It would be nonsense for this council, as the greatest educational authority in the country, to spend substantial sums to enable the . sons of poor men to go to universities : and, on the other hand, as an employing authority, to say that we will not use the best products of the uni- , versities. ' “The universities have achieved coni siderable success in producing young men and women for the higher branches of the Civil service. 1 “There may be room for improvement. I am told that it is not as 7 easy as it should be to get men of high : business and administrative skill direct ■ from the universities. I am sure that the universities are watching this very 5 carefully. t "I should like to see extended coS operation between this council, other l local authorities, and the Civil Service 1 Commissioners in the direction of ref cruiting for the public services. I have

a high regard for the ability, competence, and real skill of the Civil Service Commissioners in selecting the I best people from those who come before them.”