The Dominion. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1912. THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1538, 6 September 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1912. THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

A closer examination of the Public Service Commission's report and recommendations confirms our first impression that tho Commission has performed a useful task extremely well, and that its investigations, if turned to proper account, may prove of great value to the Dominion. It is not necessary to agree) with all the conclusions arrived at by the Commissioners to realise this. There are points on which there is room for disagreement, and on which there will no doubt be disagreement, particularly in respect of the best means of eradicating existing evils and of promoting that confidence and content throughout the Service which is essential if the best results are to be achieved. But on the whole the Commission's findings are so clearly the common-sense conclusion of men of experience and sound judgment that the natural inclination is to overlook such minor points as one may feel reason to question for the sake of the many valuable suggestions and recommendations put forward. The portion of the report which is lively to receive most attention at the moment is no doubt that referring to the organisation of the Public Service as it at present exists, and the proposals for its improvement. It is something of .a triumph for Mr. Herdman, who has fought so ably and persistently for the removal of the Public Service from, the demoralising influences of political control, that tho Commission, with the special knowledge it necessarily became possessed of, should have arrived at the conclusion reached so long ago by the At-torney-General: that is that the management of tho Service should be in the hands of a non-political Board. While the proposals of the Commissioners do not agree in all particulars with the scheme outlined by Mr. Herdjian in his Bill now before Parliament; tho main principle is the same. The Minister proposes that the Board, which under his Bill, would have the control of the working of the Public Service, should be responsible only to Parliament. The Commission, on the other hand, would make the Board responsible to Cabinet-—a proposal which it frankly admits still leaves an element of risk of political influences creeping in. We prefer the Minister's proposal because it removes the Public Service beyond the reach of any possibility of the danger stated. There are quite a number- of useful suggestions in the report directly affecting the position and prospects of Civil Servants, which will no doubt receive the careful attention of Ministers. Assuming that the proposal to place the Public Service under the control of a non-political Board is given effect to, all matters relating to appointments, salaries, promotions, etc., should, it is recommended, be loft to the Board to deal with. _ Recognising that the unrest and discontent that have grown up in the Service as the result of past injustices must militate against its efficient and economic working, the Commissioners make it very clear that the methods of the new era must be such as to restore confidence amongst State employees and afford a guarantee of fair treatment on the merits. "Merit," tin; report stales, "does not count as it should," and so amongst the first duties of the Board of Management it is laid down that it should—(a) block all the "backdoors" of entrance to the Public Service; (b) arrange that all promotions should be made from within the Service; (c) arrange for free transfer of officer!! between the Departl meats, No one it likely to disjjutfl

the wisdom or fairness of these proposals, nor yet the suggestion that salaries should bear a proper relationship to the class of work being done. Tho proposal of free transfers from one Department to another throughout the Service opens up a very pleasant vista to ambitious young officers cramped bv the restricted opportunities of the Department to which they may be for the time being attached. Tho general idea of the Commissioners to make the Service more attractive by removing some of the hampering restrictions and milking the way clearer for a full recognition of merit, with reasonably substantial rewards to look forward to for those capable of reaching tho higher posts, is no doubt onewhich will commend itself to all Civil Servants who are not too deeply steeped in the old traditions to bo resenting of change. It is quite impossible in a single article to cover more than a small part of the ground traversed by the Commission in its report, and we must defer for future comment reference to a number of the suggestions put forward. A fitting conclusion to tho branch of the subject touched on on the present occasion is the following extract from tho report, which fairly well represents tho general attitude of the Commissioners: "The characteristics of tho Service should be entry by competitive- examination, probation by final admission, security of tenure during good behaviour after admission, promotion by merit, and pensions on retirement." I