THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1455, 1 June 1912, Page 7

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Sir,—For colossal cheek it would bo lifeless to search for a better sample than the 'action of the Civil Service Association in asking the Minister to be allowed "oliiciial representation on the Civil Service Commission with the right to ask ciuostions." I wish to ask a few questions. Who is the Civil Service Association? Whom doos it represent? Why should it be tolerated by the Service in this latest ci«im to ollicioiis representation? In the first place it is wholly unrepresentative. No election for delegates or representatives for any Department lias ever been held. Nobody knows how Ilia alleged delegates chii claim to be representative, and ia fact the majority in eacli Department aro unaware that they have the honour of being represented at tho deliberations of that august body. I know a little about this body, for in my callow youth I did attend some of its meetings, and to jny astonishment, found myself billed as "representing" my Department. It was all too funny to see tho "temporary" clerks clamouring for reforms, but the conversion of their status into a "permanaucy" was their prime goal. It made so much noise that all "temportaives" were, thereupon, confirmed as you will see by the Act it fathered through tho House. My conclusion was that the association comprised tho "temporary' and the "agitator" of the service, with a sprinkling of the high dignitaries whose serene presence was calculated to add weight to the dellberalr.ons. Again, this calm-thinking body of Civil Service nonentites has neither the representation which it so easily assumes, nor has it the membership which can justify what is otherwise a piece of presumption that places it on a pinnacle for impudence. ' Its rules provide that ten per cent of the contributions is to be deducted and retained by the collectors, but notwithstanding this liberal commr.ssion, it cannot honestly claim to have a true membership of even a tenth of the service, and such as do belong to it are mainly cadets who would sooner pay the shilling than offend the collector, or else they are the "ex-temporaries" who naturally feel that gratitude which is Hie "lively expectation of favours to come.' While it niiay "claim" a membership of several hundreds, I challenge it to provo that it is a real live membership. Its treasurer, in a recent report, gave quite a revised, version of the number who paid their subscriptions, and that is the proper test to apply. This being the case, T decline to admit that such a claim as this effete body has put forward can be regarded as a reasonable one. On the contrary, it is as obnoxious and offensive to me and my fellow workers as it must appear utterly preposterous to those who have the p?di gree of the Association before them. Weare quite competent to state our own cases to the commission, and resent this gratuitous offer to take up our burdens for us. It will be time enough for the Association to take up such schemes when it becomes representative. Meanwhile wo have a strong committee of our own ready for the classification or any other movement, and are awaiting our opportunity to protect our interests. Thanking you in advance,—l am, etc., ANTI«-ASS.