PUBLIC SERVICE CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2118, 8 April 1914, Page 8

PUBLIC SERVICE CONTROL

THE NEW REGIME SPEECH BY THE COMMISSIONER. I At the annual dinner of the Canterl bury- branch of the- Public Service- Asc soeiation Mr. D. Robertson (Public Ser- , vice Commissioner)'offered some interi esting observations upon tho working of ' the system of commissioner conirol ' which*wero very briefly summarised in 3 the. telegraphod report. The following report of Mr. Robertson's speech is taken from the Christchurch "Press": "An enthusiastic reception was ac- ' corded tho Commissioner on his rising ' . . . After thanking trie audience ' for his reception, lie referred to the sub- ! jeet of classification, and said that he ' intended to do no hair-splitting. All ' ho had to do was to obey the law. He • believed in going directly to the root of matters. A regulation which nod 1 been framed arid declared ultra vires, ' was to the effect that if the Commissioner ntrrecd an appeal could go direct ' to tho Board of Appeal. The number ■ of appeals forward gavo no ground for 1 fear. In every classification a certain number of appeals was inevitable.' Tho percentage of appeals in West Australia and New Zealand was curiously enough almost the same. He believed tlip'classincation had been fairlf well received, and it was recognised that great pains had been taken to do justice to every officer. Of course at first tho officers looked askance at the change, and like all people on strange seas probably felt a little seasick. Now lie beioved, after experience, all officers would recognise that the Commissioners aimed at doing their best for tho Service. The Commissioners aimed at certain " improvements in the Act, nnd were finding now that officers all round.were coining to the Commissioners for them to acts as guides, philosophers, and friends. (Hear, hear.) Of I'olirso improvement • still possible, and if ho remained in office/ he intended to improvo tho classification in tho lower grades until the best conditions were reached. At

I tho same time, there must bo some givo and take on tho part of tho officers. In conclusion Mr.iß-obertsou expressed his pleasure at • meeting tho members of tbo local branch. Ho aimed at meeting every officer of the Service, and was willing to soo any officer who desired to meet hiin. '(Applause.) Ho always aimed at giving equal attention to tho huinblo with those '■■ ill tho higher branches. (Renewed anplauso.) Some proposals had' been made. Ono was for a minimum wage for married men throughout the : Servico, and he hoped tliq Government would grant this shortly. Referring to the association, Mr. Robertson expressed; his appreciation of tho association and tho cordial relations wliinlh' existed between the Commissioners and tho tivo big associations of the Public Service and tho Post and Telegraph Departments. Ho believed the time was coming when these two associations would work together in all things for their material good. r Jlio association had had very little value beforo the Commissioner took office, lmt now that he acted as a focus point their work was simplified and rendered more valuable. Ho , was glad to .see the senior officers taking an active part in the work of tho associations. In times of peace these tended to drop out, and when trouble came tho association missed tbe experience of theso older men. Ho would like to seo the: seniors, taking an active part in tho needs of the junior officers. In reading the- report or the Australian ■ Association he had been struck with the stress laid upon "efficiency." Hβ was glad to notice that Mr. Russell, tho local secretary, Lad taken an active part in the debates at that meeting.. Finally' ho would say that the New Zealand Civil Service was one of the most efficient and loyal Services in the whole of the Empire. Sinco the Commissioners had assumed office a spirit of emulation had arisen which would ultimately bo of groat benefit to tbo country.

Speaking earlier in the evening, the chairman (Mr. H. Cordery), in proposing the health of "Tho Ministry, coupled with the name of tho Hon. A. L. Herdman, said that it .was to the untiring efforts of Mr. Herdman that they largely owed the system of Commissioners' control, with its attendant classification scheme and Board of Appeal. "They heard much about dissatisfaction with tho system, but in Christchurch they were very hazy about tho grounds for dissatisfaction, and very certain of the solid reasons for gratification that tho officers of the Service wero under export continuous supervision; that merit was to hulk largely in promotions, that young officers speedily roso to a living salary, that the value of the positions was not permanently lowered upon changes of officers, tliat futures wero generally known three or four years ahead, that in lean years the Service was not necessarily the first to feel the knife of retrenchment, and that there was an independent Board of Appeal ready to give everyone a fair and impartial hearing." (Applause.)