PUBLIC SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 868, 14 July 1910, Page 5

PUBLIC SERVICE.

9 ■- SUGGESTED ROYAL COMMISSION. QUESTION BY MR. HERDMAN. DEBATE ].N PAKI/lAMENT. An interi'Ming tlir.ciiw-ion took place in lh" JTo ii si' of Ji'cproscntalives yesterday al'terno'in on a reply by thel'rimeMinislor lotliei'fi'ecl that the Government was opposed lo the setting up uf a Royal CuiiiinUsinii to iiicniiro into various matters relating to tlie Public Service. The exact c|iie>lioii put to tlie l'rime Minister liv ,\lr. Herdman was as follows: "Whether, having regard to the pre-ent condition of the Public Service of the Dominion, the Government will nppiiiul a I'oyal Commission to investigate ami report upon (lie following mattors: II) The existing system of making iipniiiiilmeuts; (2) the system of regulating promotion.-; (•'!) whether political inllnenee is used to gain appointments, to obtain promotion?, or to obtain increases in salaries; and (i) whether Departments are extravagantly managed?" lii reply (he Prime Minister had stated-. ".No. A rosily Royal Commission appointed years ago for a similar purpose proved to he useless, as the report was never acted upon. The present I'ublic Service as a whole is a credit to the Dominion, and is as well oil', if not betler, both as to pay, hoars, and superannuation, than that of any other country in the world." A Laughable Statement. Air Herdman, speaking to his motion, said that that purl of the reply which stated that the Public Service was as well off, if not better, than that of any other country in the world was laughable. And that statement was made despite, the fact 'hut. only recently an inquiry had been held as to various decisions of the head of a very important Department! It the .Now Zealand I'ublic Service were' Compared with that of Great Britain, there was no comparison, and the same remark could be made with reference to the .New South Wales Public Service. Sir Joseph: They pay less than in iVew Zealaud. Air. Hordmali! You uro not stating a fact. Resuming, ?dr. Herdman stated that in Great Britain also higher salaries were paid than in Mew Zealand. The real point was this; Why was it that the Government refused to appoint a commission to investigate the condition of tho Public Service! 1 Were they afraid!' Sir Joseph: No. Mr. Iterityuan: Are you afraid of tan revelations ! which such a commission would disclose? Sir Joseph: No. Mc. Herdman went on to say that it was essential that the people should take more interest in the administration of the Public Service and the welfaro of the servant.': of the Crown than they did on any other question. To his mind there was no comparison between such a question as the land question and the more important question of the administration of the public Departments and the proper expenditure of the public moneys. Why, every year between 11 and 12 millions of public moneys wero expended. Air. Laurenson: "You are joking; our total cxpendittite is only nin« million* yearly. Mr. Herdman went; on to say that in the expenditure of Hint large amount of public money and Hie management of the huge army of civil servants there was not only confessed gross mismanagement, hut incompetency on the part of public iiHiuiiiK Sir Joseph: II is pretty rough on thb public ssrvants. What Happened? Mr, Herdman asked what happened trhi'ii a question arose in connection with the timber industry? Why a commission was set. up. What happened when a question arose as to land tenure? A commission was also set up. Then, again, uhon a question aiosc in relation to the administration uf Hie Police Department "ivhat happened? Again, a commission was set up. And, once again, he would ask what occurred when a question arose in regard to the 'faxes Department? Why a eommisMon was set up. But when one ventured to suggest a commission to investigate the condition of the Public Serlico one was met with a blunt "No." Other Speakers. Mr. Italian (lnvercargill) instanced the efficiency of the Post and Telegraph Department as refuting the insinuation that there was something wrong with the public services. Jn Victoria there was continual dissatisfaction in tho services under a Public Service Board, but in New '/calami there were fewer complaints and abuses. He defended the present system Wider which Ministers wero respon6ible for the services. Mr. Laurenson (Lyfctelton) said the total revenue <>f the country was under ten millions. How then could eleven or twelve millions be spent per annum in paying public servants? He maintained that the heads of the Department were thoroughly capable. Sir J. G. Ward's Reply. The Prime Minister said his reply to the question put by Mr. Herdman was perfectly polite. The report obtained by I lie Atkinson Government was pigeonholed, and never used. Mr. Herdman referred to what had occurred in the Tasini Department, and reflected on the whole s»rviee because one mall had made a mistai-e. What country had a superannuation service for the Civil Servants onMde of New Zcahind? Mr. Herdman rose to reply to tho Prime Minister by way of nersonal exnlanation. but owing to the 5.30 vi.m. adjournment having arrived the discussion necessarily came to an end.