THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1357, 7 February 1912, Page 6

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

J''" 1 , notc <l a correspondent writing in your columns a few mornings a-o wi h ]?J e T™Vnffi" a T in f mc,,t "' th °™- "c J i ust OfuM. I USD noticed a few about to retire, and still further, we have lopS=ry'taS%at me to make a few remarks about the

A great deal has been said of late of the marked fullmg-off iu ~l c gt ? ° iiic-n seeking entrance into the Civil ScrS, ""'I n ,VC that the sums of tho seme* is on the decline we must also admit of a reason for such and proceed to find it. The common ™ v ;r admission to the Civil Service is by pacing the Civil Service Examination and awaiting appointment by turn as a cadet Aow, how many times has this nilu been violated? How many bovs have been appointed on tho reputation °' ''"-J 1 -fathers, "'for some xilitieal ,f ir i havo ] V M of ma ». v such cases and 1 fee sure that many bovs who should to-day have a position in the Civil .Service, are doing ■ manual labour somewhere in the back-blocks. In manv eases they are better off, but still it "is the principle Hwt line to to considered tnen again, there are the so-called ex-' pe Is who are so often appointed at large ll " ' les ' n. ,1^ 0 "I 0 , 11 vcl >" oftc " « r e absolutely unfit lor the positions to which they are appointed, and have to be taught by men who are distinctly their superiors in every way and who are refused promotion and a rise in salary-, simplv because the Minister of the Department has ) r . fco-and-ko, a gentleman eminently sinted lor the position." Take case of Mr. Jas. Ihslop. Jl o ~,a v bc „ courteous man. etc., but what does he know alraiit the Department of Internal A Hairs, baiiijj formerly. I believe, a typist in u, Kaihi-ay Department, compared with men who have been in the Department for years? One man, I believe, e:m write H.A L 1..8. after his name .Surely he must have ability. I note that Mr. 1. !,. Lynch the chief clerk, is about to retire. Well, 1 supmise the last bitter pi 1 w.is too much for him to sallow. A hit mvard did he get f or all his yc.iiv; of fiiiHitiil service? This sort of thing, in a worse kind of manner, u going on all through the «ervice. V.on without any .special trainiii" or ability whatever are put into positions at Ing salaries in Bepartments, while other men-at smaller salaries have to each thein how to do thoir work and lecop on doing superior work themselves. I do not know much about the recent appointment in the Public Trust Olnc= nor. lMiinu a member of the Civil' Perviriv but I undarst.iml. after makin,; due inriuiry, that a grf.it denl of dissatisfaction has ten ranwl l)y this and similar apKointnirnt*. Officers of long standing are being overlooked when good positions which they arc of filling are rendered vacant. This brings me to the question nf stitiF. What oncoiiragomciit has a man g?t when he is continually being overlooked in this manner? How'cin the :■!■',us of the porvife survive when outKidtrs are npmintwl in this way? Good ii-f-n simply bide their time anil go into fu-lds of enternri.'-.? where thoir services ai , " .'ippi-oeiato:l in some tnniible manner. iho M..nner we ad n clwiige of Government and a Civil Service Hoard where mombnrs will nut be at the merev of one nun Iho IH!«r if will for the country. Th» Civil Sovvire will then be what it should I:?, and cort.-iinly will l;e ill thrr near future The Siiil./.should lie a m?(H emidoyer and (b« employees the lies!: tlvit: money can nbt lin, for the res'mnsibilities in n'any on>?s nn> huge. Our Civil Service will not th:-n 1» what it now is: tin. laughing-stock of the community.—l am, etc., ' . . DISGUSTED. Wellington, February I!.