Civil Rights Of Civil Servants

Chronicle (Levin), 31 August 1948, Page 3

Civil Rights Of Civil Servants

WELLINGTON, August 30. Political aftihations and civil iiberties were the. subject of one of the most important reraits conside.red at the annual coni'erenee in Wellington, of the exeeutive couneil of the New Zealand Public Service Assoeiation. At the linal session of the conferenee todav, the following remit, submitted by the Waikato branch, was carried ujthout dissent: "That the assoeiation 's pres?ent policy regarding political altiliations and civil liberties, be vigorously maintained; that tlje conferenee ensures that full provision and st'ope is allowed exeeutive offieers for Ihe proteetion of the civil rights and political liberties of public servants botli liow and in the future, insofar as tio member oi' the service be discriminated against without. a public trial in which disloyal, . illegal or subversive aetioh against the Crown be proved. ' ; The combined State Servic.es Organisation which held its annual conferenee in Wellington recently, also discussed the subject of Public Servants and civil liberties and carried the following motion: "That tliis central.com. mittee of the orgaiiisation, while recognising the duties and obligations of all citizens to New Zealand, is resolved to safeguard the civil and political rights of public servants. It deplores and will oppose any procedure whereby the beliefs, associations or actions of [mlilic servants are made tlie spbjeet of secret reports or of unsubstantiated cliarges or of eharges not based on the laws of the cduntry. It is further resolved -that the Governinent be advised to iliis efl'ect — that if, for reasons ot" security, any restriction of the rights of public servants is deemed •necessary, ilien this should be done " by legislationproviding adequate judicial safeguards and equally alfecting all members of the eommunity and, 011 any Hueh legislation, this committee should be consulted before its introduc'tion. " These resolutions follow one which was endorsed earlier in the year by the Wellington seetion of the Public Service A,ssociation and which stated, in part: "13eeause of its loyalty to the democratic principles upon wliieh the British eonstitution' is batled, the exeeutive committee, in line with its suppovt for the Political Disabilities Removal Act, 194(5, op]ioses any victimisation of or diserimination against a public servant merely because of his political or religious views. x\t the-same time tlie exeeutive supports the romoval or other discijiliniiig of any public servants guilty of any illegal aet against the State. ' ' When the Political Disabilities Removal Bill was introdueed in 193(5, the case for public servants was put by tlie llien Prime AHnister, Mr. Hayage, who, in exphination, said: '"'It proposes to give to civil servants the same political rights as are enjoyed by all othei sections of the people. The fact that a person lias become a civil servant, is not in my opinion sufficient reason for disqtialifying him from liolding such rights. ' '