THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1857, 17 September 1913, Page 8

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

RETIRING AGE & JOURNAL.

PROCEEDINGS OF CONFERENCE. Delegates present wlien the Civil Service Conference resumed yesterday wero Messrs. Oulds, Moon, Russell (Christchurch), Pope (Auckland), Turner, Dixon (Gisborne), Roberts, Hurray (Dunedin), Feifer (Napier), Findlay (Invercargill), Holmes, Macdonald, Fisher, Barr, Wallace, ltobieson, Wells, Penney, Hall, Roberts, Millar, Wright, and Sherwood (Wellington). A Publio Service Journar. As on the prorions evening, the proceedings wero not open to the press, but a report was afterwards supplied. From this it appears that the conference early set up a special committee of six to consider the question of the publication.of a Public Servico Journal, and also the matter of the appointment of sin editor and general secretary._ The committee will go into the question of finance necessarily involved, and report to the conference. Deputation. It was 'resolved: "That the conference communicate with the Public Service Commissioners, with a view to ascertaining. whether they would meet a deputation from the conference on Thursday morning, for tho purpose -of discussing matters arising out of the deliberations of 'the conference, and general questions relating to the welfare of tho service. Retiring Age. Various remits from the branches were then dealt with. After considerable discussion, it was resolved: "That all officers, who have reached tho ago of CO years, and completed 40 years' service, be retired. From that age to 65 years they should bo retired on completion of 40. years' servico, aud„at 65 years all officers should bo retired irrespective of rank." Resolved: "That every officer should be entitled to at least one month's notice of transfer except in cases of extreme urgency." A remit was then put forward, providing: "That Public Servants, who liavo reached the age limit and been retired on .a small pension, should bo granted priority for temporary employment." It was pointed out that if this were done it would open the door still wider for the employment of temporary clerks. The remit was lost on the voices.

Various remits in regard to tho revision of rules were held over until the amended riiles as proposed by tlie Wellington branch came up for consideration.

It was unanimously resolved "That every appellant Should be granted the ■rignt to peruse tho Public Service .Commissioners' grounds for placing him in tho position appealed against at least seven days before the appeal came before the Appeal Board." Another ■ resolution carried was that each officer whilo travelling on the Main Trunk railway on Departmental business should be allowed the cost of a sleeping berth, a quarter rate of travelling allowance to be deducted in lieu thereof.

• The conferenco also decided that officers of all branches of the Civil Servico should be placed on the same footing as officers of tho P. and T. Department in tho matter of tho privileges outlined by Section 48, part 2, of the Publio Servico Act, 1912. At tho present time a vacancy in the P. ajid T. Department may only' he filled by an officer of that Department so long as suoh officor is available, but vacancies in other 'branches .of the service are open to all officers (postal officers included). It was decided that- the strongest representations should be made to the Commissioners on the question of civic rights being granted- to public servants. A considerable discussion ensued in regard to the practice of deducting amounts from salaries of officers to make up the defalcations of fellowofficers. It was decided that it was improper that officers, who carried out their work in a conscientious maimer, s'hould ho penaJised to make up the deficiencies of others aver whom they -had no control. At 4 p.m. tho conference adjourned Until 9.30 a.m. to-day.