PUBLIC SERVANTS RESENT ASSERTIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 178, 31 July 1940, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVANTS RESENT ASSERTIONS

COMMISSIONER'S REPORT | Per Press Association. | , NEW PLYMOUTH, July 30. The Public Service Commissioner’s report to Parliament referring to the efficiency tests and lack of knowledge among officers generally was strongly resented by Taranaki public servants. It was contended that the commissioner based his assertions on the result of last year’s tests when, according to his statement, 47 per cent, passed, 47 per cent, failed, and the balance obtained partial passes. It is pointed out that he omitted to mention that last year’s tests applied to the general division only, when practical men were given a theoretic/1 examination. It is held that to condemn the efficiency of the service on the result of that test is grossly unfair and does not agree with the previous statements of the commissioner referring to the high educational qualifications of public servants generally. At the annual meeting of the Taranaki section of the Public Service Association a resolution was unanimously carried requesting the commissioner to suspend the efficiency tests for th 3 duration of the war. It was felt that “with the threat of invasion hanging over England and many officers serving in the Army, Territorial Forces, and reserves, and others working overtime on official duties (gvatis) and performing patriotic duties in their spare time the efficiency tests are relatively unimportant at a time when all efforts should be for one purpose only, to help win the war. ’ A meeting of the committee of the Palmerston North section of the Public Service Association discussed comments by the commissioner and passed a motion unanimously “that this section, representing more than 500 public servants, deplores the commissioner’s action in ventilating his views in public before the negotiations instituted by the Prime Minister, Kt. Hon. P. Fraser, are finished and deplores the fact that such publication struck a totally unwarranted blow at the prestige of the whole of that section of the Public Service which comes under the commisioner’s control.” The meeting reaffirmed its opposition to the imposition of the tests and supported the action of the executive of the Public Service Association.