THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 507, 14 May 1909, Page 6

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

, SOME REGENT CHANCES.; , \ STATEMENT BY THE PRIME 'MINISTER. (BY TBLIaBAFn—TBESS ASSOCIATION.) ' - Chrfstchurch, May 13. /■ Regarding the criticisms which have been published respecting changes in' the Ciyil Service of the-Dominion, the Prime Minister, ;in . tho .course •of an interview, remarked that it was quite, true that Mir. G. F. C. Campbell, the 'recently-ap-ipointea. mariager. of. the State Fir? Insurance Department, is not a firo insurance man, but he k a vory capable officer, and: has had very ortensiYe exporience in respect to the .valuation; of buildings. In additioh, Mr. Campbell was a capable officer, and had officers: in tho Department one of whom is a fire insnranco expert, • and the combination was such that ho (Sir Joseph Ward) had no donbt that very good work under-Mr. Campbell would be done by the Department. It was quite correct that Mr/ Riohardson, l.head of-the .Governniont Life Insurance Dei partment, has .. been ■ a capablo . and - 1 . sensible manager ot the State Fire, Insurance : Department, but critics who find fault with the arrangement recently' decided : upoh - are of course unaware 'of. tlio fact thafc Mr. Richardson;: some months ago,- expressed, a strong desire to be relieved of the Fire: Insurance : Department on the grounds that his other re- ■ sponsible work—that of. the Government Life and 'Accident/Insurance Departments—take up tho.-whole; of his .time.': It. was, entirely, J from that standpoint, that .it was ~ decided some timo,;ago to relievo Mr. Richardson of the, duties attached to the Fire Insurance Department. . . • ■ 'With ; regard ' to-', the Inspector-General of.; the. Forces, after carefully reviewing the_ .whole it was found that the .duties appertaining to' the position tCoiild_.be carried on without appointing an .additional .officer during Colonel Davies's absence from the Dominion. Colonel Davies has been, to eveiy. ■part of the Dominion iv hero .there aro voluntcor corps, and temporary arrangements, can be made to provide ;that,tha,t-branch of his duties can:bo efficiently conducted without any .'additional expense. "From: tho standpoint of-economy, he (the Prime;;' Minister)... wished- to, : avoid,■ wherever possible, paying any: salary. which •seems to be unnecessary, and so long as .efficiency, can bo maintained. : In Mr. J._E. Smith's appointment as Commissioner of Cook -Islands,. the country obtaining the services, of a' : most capable mail, and one who has done splendid work in the Department he .has bo long controlled, and .-which Department, for the purposes of economy, has been merged into tho Postal Department. Colonel Gudgeon, whoso place jlr._ onuth takes, .has been retired because he is over >.the age limit, and in Sir Joseph's opinion an activo, energetic man, and the possessor of administrative ■ powers, and a good dcal of . common sense,' qualifications which Mr. Smith possnsses in a high degree is desirable as Colonel Gudgeon's successor! i ,lt was & mistako to suppose that tho administration .of tho -Cook Islands is a sphere of comparative inactivity. There is a very great deal of work to be done in tho general development _of tho islands, and in dealing with : tlie natives, and this work will ball for much diligonco on the part of an energetic man. Ho (Sir Joseph) had aU along stated that the Government wos not desirous of inflicting; any _ hardships where it was possible to avoid doing, so, and in tho extensive al-terations-carried out,-the fullest consideration as ftimatter of . justice was being shown wherever possible.,