THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 505, 12 May 1909, Page 6

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

: 'WE'are,pleased to note that the'PmHß Ministee is beginning to': realise the necessity, of releasing the members of the -Civil Service from tho state , of uncertainty and unrest into which - they have been thrown by his general announcement as' to the Government's retrenchment proposals. This morning we are able to publish further details of changes to be made, and 'Sir Joseph Wahd states that in addition to these a number of Civil Servants have been privately ' informed that their services are to be dispensed :w'ith. So far as wo can ascertain* the number notified in this ■ way has been small, but possibly the list was added to before the Peime HiNiSTEEleft for the south last evening. Wo do not think iit desirable' : in the .circumstances that tho actions' of the; Government in carrying out its retrenchment proposals should be kept secret. No good end will bo served, and secrecy as to names of thoso dispensed with is likely to arouse suspicion as to the considerations which have influenced Ministers in making a choice. ■ In the last, batch of rearrangements announced this morning, some of the Changes ' proposed are .open to criticism. They appear to indicate that the Government- is blundering along blindly without having given any great amount of thought to the important btopa taken. It ■ looks very much as though Ministors wore more anxious to find positions for individuals than to study the best interests of the State. A few days ago, -for ■ instance, . they announced that Me. G. F. Campbell, Val-ucr-Gcnoral, was to be relieved of his duties as head of - the Valuation Department, and that ho was to be appointed Acting-Inspcctor-Gcneral' .of the Defence Forces, Mb, Oaiii'beu,, .wo boliovo, has -

been a vory capable public servant ae head of the Valuation Department, and a volunteer officer of exceptional merit. There may have been some justification for his appointment under the Defence Department, although even his excellent record as a volunteer officer did not appear to justify his appointment to the post of Acting-Inspeetor-General of the Dofence Forces. But now the Governmont has chopped round, and Mit. Campbell is to be placed in charge of the State Fire Insurance Department, If thero is one Department of the Stato which at the present time calls specially for expert business management, it is the State Fire Insurance Department. ■Fire insurance is a tricky business at any time.and the State Department discovered this to its cost last year. Yot, Ministers take the grave risk 'of appointing to the responsible post of manager of the Department a member of the service who, however excellent his' record in another Department, has had no experience, so far as can be learned, of fire insuranco business. A few days-ago it was Btated that Mb. J. E. Smith, late Commissioner of Old Age Pensions, had been offered the post of manager of the State Fire Insurance Department, but had, declined it. Now it is announced that Me. Smith has been appointed Commissioner at the Cook Islands; A few years ago Me. Smith was a clerk in the Treasury Department, and what particular qualifications he possesses for his new post it is difficult to discover. Up to the present we have refrained from commenting upon the changes made by Ministers in readjusting the various Departments, but it is quite evident'that there is need for a close scrutiny. The Government should have plenty of.; good material to vrorfc on, and the first and chief consideration in rearranging the Departments should be to secure the best men available for the different positions, irrespective of the personal predilections of Ministers.. The '.Pkime Minister may rest assured that the country will resent in no uncertain fashion any further misuse of tho Public Service for political purposes or ,to meet' the wishes of personal friends of Minister' .'.-. ::■