THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1858, 18 September 1913, Page 8

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

CONFERENCE-THIRD DAY.

LONC LIST OF REMITS CARRIED

Remits in great number were considered by the Civil Sen-,ice Conference yesterday. Mr. A. H. Holmes (Wellington) was in; tlio chair. The proceedings wore again closed to the press, but a report was supplied'. Resolutions woro carried as follow:— "That officers who are compelled to tak© their annual leave at such times as holiday excursions are not in, voguo should bo granted tiokets on the railway at excursion rates." "That permission should be given for annual leave to accumulate for two years." ' "That a reasonable allowance should be made for deterioration of furniture when officers aro moved from one place to another." "That officers in the Territorial Forces should bo allowed to retain payment made on Sundays, holidays, and in their own time." "That any officer who is ehargoa with any offence shall have the right to see all tho evidence and reports thoreon before his case is adjudicated on by the Minister or Commissioner."

"That officers in receipt of a salary not exceeding £160 per annum should be allowed 10s. per day travelling allowance, those receiving from £160 to £500 should be allowed 12s. 6d: per day, and thereafter according to the.existing regulations." "That officers having less than ten years' sorvico who aro stationed at such a distance from their homes that more than two days are ocoupied in travelling each way should be granted three weeks' leave instead of two weeks, provided that the leave be obtained for tho purpose of visiting their homes."

"That ill eases of absence through illness l tho question of the necessity for a med'ical certificate bo left to the discretion of the officer in charge of the Department or 'branch." "That Regulation 209, providing for extra* payment to . officers performing the duties of a higher station, should be amended so that the offioers should be given, 'the extra allowance provided by such regulation) in cases whero such extra duty has been performed for a continuous period of two months." "That it is desirablo that any temporary officer in the Government service who becomes appointed permanently may be allowed to purchase for superannuation purposes his service from the day of joining, and not from the date of appointment as a permanent officer." "That no fully-qualified married adult employee, or widow with children under 14 years of age, in the genoral division of tho Public Service, should bo paid less than £156 per annum, including therein all allowances."

"That the hours of tho Government Printing Office should be the 4ame as those of tha clerical division, viz., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m." "That Scction 31 of the Public Service Act, 1912, should be amended to provide that the Appeal Board shall hear and dotcrmino an appeal, thereby conferring on any appellant the samo right of boing heard and giving evidence as is given to any litigant in the civil courts of tho country."

"That tho provisions of tho Magistrate's Court Act, 1908, as to taking of ovidence of witnesses at a distance, bo incorporated in the Act." . "That the position of civil servants retrenched in 1909 bo placed beforo the Commissioners, and that they be asked to endeavour to ha ve the unbroken service of such civil servants prior to that retrenchment treated as continuous antf added to such servico as they haye had since thoir reinstatement.".

"That tho general division of tho Public Sorvico should have the right to nominate a representative on the Board of Appeal." "That tho Public Service Commissioner be prevailed 011 to. extend tho same holiday privileges to the mechanical branch of tho Service as aro given to the clerical branch." ,

"That representations be made to the Commissioner to take some steps to mako permanent those members who havo been in tlio employment of the State from three to fivo years previous to the passing of the Public Service Act, under the provisions of which they are unable to become permanent." "That all officers, who use a horse for their duties, should bo granted an allowanco for the uso thereof."

"That when civil servants who are granted leave of absence live in places inaccessiblo to tho railways, tho extra timo required for reaching tlio railway should bo allowed them."

"That there should be moro distinct classification of overseers in tho classification list."

"That representations be made to tho Commissioner that members of the mechanical branch of tho Public Works Department bo granted' tho long service increment after ten years' service, instead of. fifteen years as intended in the classification."

"That officers handling monoys should got a teller's allowance to compensate them for lossos incurred and for tho responsibility of the position." "That tho Commissioner bo requested to stato what the effect will bo of the seniority list when it is available, and whether appeals will bo allowed." "That when any senior officer is passed over by a junior he should be entitled to know the reasons and have tliem placed in writing." "That tlio Commissioner be requested to see that every officer who claims credits for examinations should supply proof of his having passed." Tho conference adjourned at 4 p.m.

When tho conference resumed at 7.15 p.m. several remits from Canterbury were considered. Some were deferred to bo considered along with classification and some wero withdrawn.

The conference, after discussion, unanimously resolved, "That tho system of allowing tho wifo of an officer t-o engage in-trade or business be mado uniform in its operation." It was pointed out that regulations under the Police Force Act provided that the wifo of an officer should not engago in trade or business, and iiist-ancos wore known where tlio wifo of a constable had been prevented from doing small work. It was also pointed out that tho Public Service Act, 1912, provided that officers shall not directly or indirectly engago in business. Delegate after delegate quoted cases of wives being prevented from selling milk, eggs, and small goods of similar nature. A well-known case in Wellington (the subject of recent discussion) was also quoted, and tlio conference, resolved, "That tho question be settled one way or tho other,' and be mado uniform without any exceptions or anomalies." Tho first business to bo considered this morning is that of classification. Arrangements' have been mado for a deputation from tho conference to meet tho Public Servico Commissioners tomorrow (Friday). •

SERVICE JOURNAL. SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S ItIIPORT. The Special Committer) set up lo'consider tho best course, to be adopted in tho publication of a Public Service Journal reported as follows"After (jiving prolonged and careful consideration to the matters .before tho committee, the following resolutions were adopted: (1) That, the association establish a montliIv .journal, to lie nnmed tlie "Public Service Journal." That the journal he printed :uid published in Wellington. (2) Tilat tho incoming executive bo authorised to arrange with (name of a printing firm) a contract for the publication of tho monthly journal, and for the. distribution of tho journal free of cost to this association. (3) Thr.t an..nual. subscriptions to tba association for

future years be' arranged to includo the cost of the journal, imt that for tho current year the necessary capital be collected by means of levies under proposed l!ulc 64 of the regulations now before this conference. Such levies to be fixed at the rate of 2s. 6d. on salaries up to £1-5, and 3s. 6d. on salaries above £1 23 —(id. of each subscription t.o go to the funds of each branch. i 4) That until satisfactoiy financial arrangements are made, tho Executive Committee bo empowered to appoint' a committee of throe of their number to edit the journal, with power to arrange for special articles, if required, from paid contributors. (5) That tho executive committee be empowered to make temporary arrangements for carrying out the duties, of tho general secretary, and to appoint a general secretary and organiser as soon as funds permit. "Your committee has considered very carefully tho question of the association undertaking tile publication of the proposed journal on its own account, andj although it is of opinion that the prospects of making the journal a financial success are good, it does not seo . its way to adopt this method at present, for the reason that thoro is, in your committee's opinion, a possibility of tho association being saddled with a deficit. It is considered better to take advantage of (name of firm) offer for a two years' contract free of cost, and to reconsider tho matter at the close of that period. It is also considered that the large amount of organisation _ and other work to be dono makes it inadvisable that the heavy work of conducting the business side of tho journal bo undertaken at present. _ "Your committee advises that suggestions should bo taken from the conference as to tlio name of the journal. Your committee -is not altogether satisfied that the ono suggested is the most suitable and appropriate."