THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

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

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

— 1} The control- of the bulk of the Departments of the Public Service, having now passed into the hands of • the Commissioners appointed under the Act of last session, the days of political influence may be regarded as having for the" time being at least passed away. In the new regulations, a summary of which we published yesterday, special provision is made with a view to discouraging any attempt to secure admission to or advancement in the service by means of political or any other influence outside the merits of the individual concerned. Moreover, the rule which restricts the participation. of Civil Servants in political affah's to the recording of their votes at election tiir.o is clearly set- forth, and will, it is to be hoped in the interests of the Service, be firmly enforced. Taking the new regulations as a, whole, there is little in them to . which ' exception can be urged. The provision as to travelling allowances and allowances for meals may provide some criticism conoerning the distinctions made, but this is not a matter of any material importance. The regulation permitting special increments in cases of special merit enables a proper discretion to be exercised which should encourage the younger members of the Service to give of the best that is in them; while the older lower-paid officers who, for various reasons, may be faced with the possibility. of a lengthy term without promotion, may also receive sonic compensation by an increment which will bring their salary in excess of that provided for in the particular class in which they arc graded. For instance, an officer inay possess the qualifications of merit and length of service which would justify his appointment to a higher position, but if there is no vacancy, naturally he cannot be promoted. In such cases, while continuing in his old grade, ho may be granted the special increments referred to. Another matter of importance to the Civil Servants is the improvement in the holiday leave to.be granted. Under political control there was undoubted favouritism in the granting of holiday leave. Now the officers of the Service will know exactly what (hey arc entitled to, and moreover, as stated, lire to be treated on u- more liberal scale ia this respect. Some oxoejj-j_t

tion was taken recently to the proposal of the Commissioners on the question uf examinations. This was due to misunderstanding. The regulations set out clearly enough what is proposed in this respect, and no complaint can be made on the grounds of unreasonableness, or, indeed, on any other ground that we can see. Of course, in so important a change as that which is involved by the new order of things in the control and management of so large a part of the Public Service, there are bound to be some helirtburnings, and perhaps a little unrest and uneasiness. This is unavoidable. The Commissioners, however, have made a good beginning with a difficult task. They have not attempted to do too 'much at tho outset in the way of instituting changes, and they have sought to hold out encouragement to the members of tho Service to aspire to better things, and to place the Service on that high plane of efficiency that will win for it and those engaged in it the respect of the whole community. Time must now be left to test the work of the Commissioners. For ourselves, wc have little doubt that the change for which tho Attorney-General, the Hon. A. L. Heudman, worked so hard for so many years, will not only result in a more efficient Public Service, but also a more contented body of Public Servants.