ROYAL COMMISSION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1449, 25 May 1912, Page 6

ROYAL COMMISSION.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE. TO raOitOTfi EFFICIENCY AND DISPATCH. The appointment of a Koynl Commission to inquire into und report upon the cllicicnt working of the unclassified Departments of the Public Service was completed yesterday. Following are the names of the gentlemen appointed:— Willinm IX Hunt, Invereargill. •TnniDS Macintosh, Wellington. Peter Barr, Dnnedin. Thomns Fiiilaysoii, Auckland. Tho commission sots out that it i= expedient that inquiry shall bo made into the working of tho" various unclassified Departments of the Public Service, with a view to simplifying procedure, preventing duplication, and generally adopting such methods as will increase the efficiency of tho service, ensure tho duo recognition of merit, and quicken the- dispatch ot business. It has been urged that there is need, in tho public interest, for more co-opert'iou between Departments in their business relations and better facilities given and received in order to remove unnecessary formality and delay, having regard to the fact I hat they aro nil engaged in State bu3inos3. Order of Reference. In view of tho above considerations, the Governor appoints tho Commissioners to inquire into and report as to tho following matters in tho caso of oach unclassified Department:— 1. 'Whether its system of working is on the simplest and most effective lines, and, if not, in what respects, with special reference to (n) book-keeping, (b) .accounting, (c) correspondence, (d) the custody of securities and records, (e) the receipt and expenditure of money, (f) discipline. 2. Whether by unnecessary routine work, overlapping, circumlocution, or otherwise, business is hampered or delayed. 3. Whether in its business relations and dealings with other Departments full co-operation exists, and all reasonable facilities are given and received without avoidable formality or delay. i. Whether the staff is adequate to the work of the Department. 5. now best to secure promotion _ by merit—whether by the adoption of periodical Departmental efficiency or promotion tests or otherwise. G. Generally (but without dealing with individual, cases) whether the salaries paid to tho members of the staff are such as to give them fair pay for their work and tho State fair work for their Fa 7.'As to the classification (but without referring to individual cases), whether the system' of classifying the wholo of the s'talY is calculated to promote zeal and give full play to ability. 8. Whether classification should apply only to officers in receipt of salaries under . J2OO per annum, leaving subsequent promotion, to be based on merit and efficiency. . 9. And whether the salaries now paid to our public servants nro suclr as to attract to the public service and to retain in it the best ability in.the country. Mr. W. D. Hunt will bo chairman of the Commission, which is authorised and empowered to conduct its inquiry at Auckland, Wellington, Cliristchurch, and Dunedin, and to examine persons, books, and records. The report is to be handed in by June 25 of this year.

Persona!. Mr. W. D, Hunt is managing director nt Invercargill for Messrs. Wright, iStophenson, and Co., and has the reputation of being a very capable organiser. Mr. James Macintosh was for many years in tho service of the Bank of New South Wales in Australia, and was for long a popular and highly regarded Qiieenslander, both as bank manager nnd later as manager in the service of Dnlgety and Co., Ltd. • Some years ago ho came to Jscw Zealand and was for long, managing representative of Dalgety and Co., Wellington. From this position lie retired about two years ago, and entered into business here on his own account as a stock, station, and financial agent. Mr. Peter Barr has been a well-known figure in commercial circles in Dunedin for many years. Ho is a. public accountant, with a large practice, and has taken a prominent part in directing the affairs of the Accountants' Society of New Zealand.

Mr. Finlayson is manager for Messrs. ■Sargood, Ron, anil Ewen at Auckland. For several years he' has been one of the most prominent figures in commercial life in the north, and at present occupies a seat on the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Remarks by the Prime Minister. Tlie Prirao Minister (the Hon. T. Mackenzie) stated to • a reporter yesterday that tho commission had been constituted to review the widened responsibilities which now devolved upon the Civil Service, and which were practically undreamt of in previous times. Tho Commission was furnished with the necessary power to place the Civil Service on such a footing that it would encourage merit a.nd industry, and give an adequate reward to those employees who formed the basis of an efficient service in a progressive and democratic country-. "Wo -do not say," ho added, "that in setting up this Commission what'has occurred in the past has been wrong, but, speaking generally, the Civil Service has continued on the same lines as were laid down with the original Constitution of the country." GREAT DIFFICULTIES. Christchurch, May 24. "The work the Civil Service Commission has set out to do will, if done properly, take at least twelvo months," declared an official of tho local Civil Service Association 'to :i "Press" representative to-night. "In tho first place there aro the affairs of foriy-ouo. separate Departments to W looked into, with branches large and small throughout (he Dominion, and it is perfectly absurd to suppose that tho commission can furnish a report of any value by June 23. The commission will experience great difficulties in their work for the reason that there are so many Departments carrying ,out duties entirely foreign to thoso to which tho members of tlie commission have been accustomed. The commission is entirely of a mercantile or commercial character, and tho members will soon find that it is impossible to run the Public Service on strict commercial lines. Sorvico methods are the result of years of_ thought, and they are constantly being improved. The bookkeeping of the various Departments is the most practical and useful for their purpose, and the Audit Office, have long since seen that the system represents facts. It would be absurd to introduce the mercantile debtor and credit sjstem. The trouble with the service lies in tho centralisation of everything in Wellington, and tho tendency of the- Government to tinge everything with Wellington ideas. The vast mass of duplicate work that is poured into Wellington could no doubt l»» cut down materially. That would involve tho creation of moro important positions in tho larger cities, but such a system lias not found favour with tho supporters of centralisation. What tho service really wants is not a temporary commission, which would bn bound to cause some disturbance in order to justify its creation, but a permanent board of highly ofheient and trained men who would direct tlie policy of the various Departments and regulate euch (mentions as under-staffing or over-staffing, promotion, and management generally.