MEN WITH IDEAS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1987, 18 February 1914, Page 8

MEN WITH IDEAS.

WHAT THE PUBLIC/SERVICE WANTS.

THE NEW REGIME

A recent- statwnent by the Goncral Manager of Ikilways 'rcjjafdfflg tl-i-o encouragement of su-ggestioiis by eiiiployCCS has drawn attention to tho. fact that such, a system is already in vogue- under the sway of tho Public Service Coinmifcsioner. His report to I'al'Kament in 1913 coiitaißS tho following passage:*— ■ "Suggestions for -Improvements:—-Un-der such cowditioas.-it will not ho surprising to learii that, suggestions for improvements were conspicuous by their absence, or, if liiadc, were-disregarded. A case lias eonio under my notrco in which one of the ablest officers in the Service was not only discouraged, hut, in a way, threatened with penalties if ho persisted in pressing for tho -adoption of new methods. Several valuably Suggestions, which could Easily have been earriotl out, were made by the. Hunt Commission of 1912, but it cculd not bo found that -any st-eps'.liad boch'taken to carry them into effect. It is gratifyinK to report that .1 marked im-p;i-oVc-ment lias taken place iji-neo the bogin.n.ing of the year. The head of one of tlj.e most important iJepartments nocently inforM-cd'-me that , the chaugo .which had corno over his officers 'was remarkable; instead of being co-utent to see tho work carried oti as it had bewi-doirefflr years,' every.o-fficof is oil tlife'-look-out for. possible ioiprovements. I'his is'by'no: moans confined to the Department referred to, and I am already in receipt' of x'ah' able suggestions made with the object of ■ securing greater': efficiency, at less cost. Under- tho old organisation l)e----partmer.ts knew .little .of. each- other; and, owtag. tq tho different-.control in matters of staff and organisation, tho great advantages to be obtained by cooperation, between•.-Departittorit-s ■ have been lost. The look upon su-ggestiojis by officers not only from tho point of view' of the Value -of .the sugßcstions themscltesj hub .as a means of eK■cqaraging a general j-ntefest in the work of Departments wiiidi wovild otlierWMe bo absent. It is intended in future reports to name officers whose' suggestions iiavo beeft adopted," . '

Tho last issue of the "Pubiie Service Official Circular"- contaras the fol» lpwing noti-fieS-tion.:-~'-'Of the suggystious.made by -ofljeere in centiection with tho work of pepartments, in response io.tn© invitation in Regulation No. 17, tlio following are fioijie that have been adopted:— ■ ■ ■ . . "¥. D. Andrews, G.P.0., Weliinfitton.: Envelope for use iu ; int-ercommuniGation between Government Departments ia Wellington. ".*-..... "F, W. Clamor!, Valuation Department, Wellington: Tjie adoption of rubber type'for lettering and .figuring, and tlio. extension of the use of'. snn-pnnt dnpara'ttis for copying. in connection with the map wotk. of the Valuation Deiiartment. . >'• . ■ ' ■'•"A. 0. Philnott, Agriculture Deiy.rtmonjt, Napier: Method of registration of live stock hranfls arid ear-marks.

.. "C. H, E. Sticl*buT,y,' Govornuient In'suranco ; Department;- Wolllngton: Sc|i«ms|or. red-vitjiiig aiid simpfifyiiig tho wo'jrk ill. conneft-t.ibn: wi-tli,i} : re insiirance policies on. rtiortgagad propeetifiSi" ' r In ; one particujir taSe' quite reeontly a lilrgi monetary refffird *.ss given to an oflicer for'a suggestion made by..hira.