GROWING NUMBERS OF STATE EMPLOYEES

Chronicle (Levin), 27 July 1946, Page 2

GROWING NUMBERS OF STATE EMPLOYEES

-Press Association

TRENDS TO PRESENT DAY

By Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, Jllly 26. The need for the revision of the present Puhlic Service Act and regulations was stressed in the annual report of the "Puhlic Service Commissioner, tahled in the House of Representatives yesterday. "Present-day trends, hoth in New Zealand and overseas, indicate an extension of State activities," adds th'e report. "This means that anj increasing proportion of the community is eruployed in the Puhlic Service, and the need for uniformity in conditions is ohvious." The report expresses the vicw that cousolidation aud review of the present legislation alfecting the Public Service is a task that must soon be undertaken. It is stated that the use of well-quali-4»d clerieal cadets on comparatively routine'.tasks for long periods has' been a wasteful use of the abilities available. The report refers to a chango of attitude on this subject aud mentions the establishinent of a class of employees to be known as "clerieal assist,ants. ' ' Tlus, it is eonsidered, would give more highiy-qualiiied junior employees more responsibility lo take] responsibility at an earlier age. Dealing with the relaxatiou of man- j power control in the Public Service, i the report, appreciates the vuluable cou-j tribution made to the work of the ser-l vice by directed stalf during the war,! but stresses that the most efficient ser-j vice, in the long run, is given by tliel employee. who is free to . cliooso his| cmployment aud to leave einployinent j which he regards as uucongeniai. After referring to a sliortage of cadets in the service, the report goes on to say that the greatest single task to he faced, apart from general regrading, is the solution of the problem of the present large numher of temporary eniployees. These now exceed the numher of permanent eniployees. The report mentions an endeavour to reduco the amount of overtime being worked, but says that witliout the inter-departniental system it is doubtful whether the shortliand-typing work in soine. Departments could have been carried out. " In general, overtime is uneconomic, and as the stalf situalion becomes ,easier it sliould be reduced to the point where it will be required only to cupe with a transitory rush of work," the report states. Reiercnce is made to the present shortage of shorthand-typists, aud Ihe report mentions that privale concerns are able to bargain and offer more attractive conditions thaii the Public Service, where the effect of increasing the remuneration of one employee may result in the necessity of reviewing several huiulred cases. "The acceptance. of proniotion throughout the service is still being retarded tlirough difhculties in obtainiug housing accomi^iodution, ' ' the report contiuues. "Where the most efficient officer for a position feels uuable to apply there must be an adverse el'fect upon the service." This problem is particularly applicable to married men, but the report considers that for junior officers conditions can be allevialed Uy providing suitable hostels, as had already been done to soxne extent in Wellington. The report regards it as inevitable that eventually one single tribmial will have to be set up to introduce and maintain uniformity of pay and conditions throughout the whole of the State services. A big factor in that matter was that with the setting-up of the Raiiways Industrial Tribunai the Uniformity Committee, which had been in existence for 25 years, had iost its usefulness as a reviewing body.