STAFFING THE SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 416, 27 January 1909, Page 8

STAFFING THE SERVICE.

DISRECARD OF EXAMINATIONS. -PLAIN SPEECH BY-SIR ROBERT STOUT. " Some plain remarks son • tho method of staffing the Public Servico were made by tho Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout) at- .tho mooting or the .University Senate.on Friday. Dr.Fitchett had moved that in the opinion of the'senate it would be; of advantage to both tho Government and the university if the examinations at present conducted by the Education Department were taken over by the university as far,: as practicable, and that the Chancellor should .be . requested,to' oommunicate with the Government on the niatter. . ' . The Chancellor (says the '' Auckland Herald") pointed out an anomaly in the system of appointments to the Civil Service. Positions had been given to :men in the public service who were below those, who .'should have got the appointment. In:fact, ie.ventured to say there .were many. > appointed to .the Civil Service who had notipassed the,examination at all.' It was advisable to call j attention to this in. the . interests of the people, because if. ■- public,; opinion were aroused, people would insist oil-the law being carried out. He (the, Chancellor) was also speaking in the interests of. the Education Department. If any financial . stress' came, to. a country,the Education .-Departmentwas always the first.to suffer— always'the: Department:, that, felt that-istress first. .For that reason: the less necessity,v.the .Education Department had v for spending' money. on ex-: ammations, the better. . He. (the Chancellor) wanted to relieve the Education-Department from , the . possibility he had: referred to,'- beoause.tfcat; would' injure'education,: and- he did not think money could ; .be spent, in any •better way' than on: education. (Applause.) If the schools had to prepare? for one examination. only, and' the matriculation and Civil Service /examinations wero combined, j the . schools" would be relieved; of a :great deal of. pressure. At; the present, time there' were.' scholars in. the_ schools" going ujj for . several different: examinations ..in rapid',succession. Such pressure* - was ■ too ' much for young scholars, and,; personally,: he 'did not think' any- person should he allowed to enter the Civil' 1 Service' under the :.agV : of :16. •" He should like .to see; this made law., ;Se did not see any 'difficulty in having, one'; examination for, all,'and the benefits' of ,'such; a change were undoubted. ..AnotherVthing.needed was some examination for physical ;ntness in addi-. tibttrrjii the case of : applicants for the Civil Service—to, "the - " usual doctor's certificate. (Hear, hear.) If; this qualification ..were insisted on, it would, stop ; ;thei practice,-,of forcing . the-ihigh schools, and relieve, a g'reat;.d<eal of the over- : pressure that at present.existed. .. The .motion ;Was, amended .with: the snbstittytion of .the words "Civil. Ser.vicoJsenior examinations, and the- examinations ■ for teachers .certificates;" >' ;,wiw3' "ex- - amjnation." l ln .'this', anieh3ed-form 'the ;; resolution- was carried.' :