THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1833, 21 August 1913, Page 8

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

"NEW CLASSIFICATION,

PROVISIONAL LIST ISSUED,

The details of the provisional classification of the oiiicere of the Public Service were published in a supplementary Gazette last night.

In a covering memorandum the Public Sonitis i.oniim.-i.iuJier, Jlr. D. KoUertson, states that the clussincation is effective .as li'jjii April j, _lbl3, with tile exception tnat causts and a. small number ot junior clerks, whose salaries Have been adjusted to enable tliem to tall iu with the regular step on April 1, 1914, will not bo. regarded as finally classified until that uate. The list is not seniority list; a seniority list will be issueil later. The salaries of officers in the Administrative Division are not shown, as under Section 111 of tile Act t.h!>y are subject to Parliamentary authority only. Any olhcer dissatisfied with liis classification may fonva.rd to the Commissioner •within thirty days of August 20, l'Jl3, a notice of appeal setting forth the grounds of his dissatisfaction, for consideration by the Board of Appeal. As it is desired that tlic.ro may lie as little delay as possible iji the publication of the "filial classification, it is requested that officers desiring to appeal shall forward the appeals. as early as passible. Tho Board of Appeal will cominenco its, sittings about August 2'J. Ofiioera are desired to call immediate attention lo any error, however slight, in name, kugth of service, or other particulars. Mr. Kobra'tson stated last night that the Post and Telegraph Department classification list would probably bo issued at the end of nest week.

The 'present list occupies 156 pages of deeply-printed tabular matter, and gives the name, age, length of service, present position, proposed classification and salary, and maximum salary in the position, for each officer in tho Public Service.

The Board of Appeal, which will have to adjudicate on file eases of dissatisfied officials, consnsts of Mr. Peter Barr, of Dunodin, and Mr. .1. H. Richardson, of the Government Insurance Department, both appointed by the Governor; Mr. sfa.rra.TCit, of the Wellington office of the Government Insurance Department, and Mr. Mcuat, of tho Lands and Survey Office, Dunedin, elected by the Public Service (excluding tho Post and Telegraph Department); aiul Messrs. Scully (Xwv Plymouth) and Mill (Auckland), representing tha Po«t and Telegraph Do-, partment.

Tne Commissioner's memorandum directs the attention of officers to Section 81 of the Public Service Act, 11)12, which doals'with appeals, and states, inter alia, ■that if in tlvo opinion of the board any appeal'ds frivolous ov vexatious tho ap .pcllaut may be oixlorod to pay the cost of the appeal.

It is early days yet to get any considered opinions about the classification list Members of Parliament did not have the Gazette in their frauds until late in tho evening, and then they did not appear to be interested in it. As several of them said when asked what they thought about it, the list was all "technical stuff," and they could not possibly know anything about it. One member of tho House ventured the opinion that it'would cause a good deal ot friction, that it could cost a ■ grail deal of money, b'uit that he hoped it would Ills voty .effective in improving the service.

Inquiries go to show, too, that civil servants, who have only meagre knowledge el' the list yet, are very divided in filter opinions. Some are satisfied and some are not. • Generally speaking, it is said that the younger members of the service, many of whom object altogether to being classified, arc by 110 means pleased wit.li the list. The men higher up, especially those who are to receive good increases, are wd'l trough pkr.sa!.