EXAMINATIONS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS.'

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1713, 2 April 1913, Page 5

EXAMINATIONS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS.'

Sir,—As a ; believer in (ho reform of. Civil Service methods I was pleased tn sco that you had pricked tho bubble raised by a contemporary, about examinations to be held iu various Government Departments, True, there had been a circular sent out in ono Department oivinj: to a blun'der on the part of those in authority, but we find that neither. tho. Civil Service Commissioner nor (lie Ministry, were in any v;ay responsible for thte blunder. No' . doubt it was most unfortunate! that anything of the hind should hove happened at the very inception of the Commissioner haying to take over the control 'of the service, as it was likely to prejudice the service against the new system, froiii .which so many Civil Servants are looking to for better treatment than has been meted out. in the past. I am sure the service generally will with, cnnfideiiec accept. •■the assurance of tho Hon. IT. }). Bell that the proposed examinations were quite illegal, and the whole trouble arose from the misunderstanding of a circular issued relating solely to officers of the' Post and Telegraph Department. I'think I am right in saying that Civil .Servants are loyally prepared to give tho Commissioners a fair trial, and are confident that the change' will bo beneficial to the service ' and to the country. ' There is one' question upon which Civil Servants are looking to the present Government for reform, that is, a rigid,enforcement of retirement of all officers who have reached the age of retirement, viz., .sixty-five years. To keep a man'on past tho G5 limit is a great injustice to the whole service. The Hon. Mr. Herdman's advocacy of..this reform in the past won him the general approval' of Civil Servants, and a general hope is expressed that he will not relax his efforts.—l am, etc., , CIVIL SERVANT.