PUBLIC SERVANTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2154, 21 May 1914, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVANTS

) THE NEW REGULATIONS IMPORTANT CHANGES An articlo in this month's "Public Service Journal" states tliat the amended regulations under tho Public Service Act, 1912, gazetted on April 8, cover somo of tho questions raised .by the Public Service Association, and it is add that somo valuable concessions have been made which the Service must appreciate and bo thankful for. Detail changes are reviewed as under: — "Civic rights have been granted with a proper limitation. Public servants ore now allowed to become ordinary members of tho council or board of any local authority or board of education, provided -such membership does not interfere with the discharge of their duties as public servants. The'higher offices of mayor, president, or chairman aro forbidden to tho Service, and wo do not think tho wisdom of suoli a prohibition can be questioned, "Regulation 51 lias been so amended ajf to allow annual leave to accumulate for two years with a limit of .42 days, which we interpret to mean six weeks. This decision is a satisfactory reply to tho association's representation on tho subject. _ ■ "Officers travelling ■ on 1 the Main. Trunk railway when on public business may now claim a refund of actual and reasonable expenses, including tho cost of a sleeping berth, in lieu of the ordinary travelling allowance. This reply to tho association's remit should find favour with those officers affected.

Medical Certificate. . "Tho request of the association that In case of illness tho necessity of a medical certificate should bo left to the decision of the officer, in cliargo of tho Department or branch is met by a regulation providing that where the period of absence through illness or accident extends beyond three days, a medical certificate shall tyj provided. It is obvious that some rule should'exist, and the above appears to be •a reasonable One. ' "The Commissioner's roplv to the claim of the mechanical branches of the Service to-the samo-'liolftlay, privileges as those enjoyed by the clerical branches is contained in tho, additional regulations which agply- to workmen in-the Public Works Department. - . - - ... "The 'position of lady, clerks doing .-re- . sponsible work is defined by 222. Those solely engaged in - clerical duties,are placed in theoleiical division, in two grades, whilst those whose duties include minor clerical w;ork as well as (shorthand, typewriting, or machine work are placed in tho General Division. , Lady- shorthand-typistes in charge of a group of'female workers or doing Special work' in one of the more important 'Departments, aro also', included in tho General Division. This grading. should, result in the. establishment of that uniformity which the association sought after. Of Interest to Appellants. '

"An important amendment of Regulation 101 ensures that every appeal lodged will be • placed boforo the Appeal Board, .together with tho Commissioner's answer: There still remains, however, • tho provision- that the "Commissioner shivll. fix a time and place for the consideration!of the appeal, but we tire of opinion that it would have been well had these words, been, deleted also. The Act enables the Commissioner to make ' regulations , governing the modo of electing tho elective members of the Appeal Board, and the carrying of appeals to 'the board,"but neither expressly nor infcrentially does it givo him the power to control the procedure of th&board. Assuming such a power to exist/ ib would be possible for the Commissioner not only, to block any particular appeal, but to' stultify tho board." AVc do not allege tho probability of such . action, but wo claim that tlie possibility should bo avoided by the repeal of the words referred to.

"Regulation No. 155 now reads that no officer, already in thp .Service shall ho appointed to the Professional Division unless lie has passed the senior examination : to the Clerical Division unless he has passed-the entranco examination. or to the General -Division unless ho lias obtained a certificate of competency in Standard IV. ■ Equivalent examinations, may bo accepted. The minimum age for appointment to tho Professional Division is raised to / seventeen years,-which means that a person who Qualifies -at a lesser age must in- the first place enter the Clerical Division and obtain promotion, or wait until the qualifying ago is reach-' ed. "Regulation No. 103 is amended bv deleting the words "or Professional" first sentence. The regulation is further amended by deleting the second sentence, and substituting in lieu thereof the sentence: 'By passing the_ senior examination, including the subjects required . of professional officers in nnv Department, an officer of the. general or clerical division may qualify for promotion to the professional division of such Department.' Seniority and Promotions. "Regulation 103 a reads that tho Com--missiouer may, if he : thinks fit, v from time to time transfer from the General Division to thoJOighth' or Seventh -Claiss. of the Clerical Division any person wlio has served for at .least two years in the General Division, and who 'lias, passed tho examination prescribed for candidates lor 'appointment M the Clerical Division,. Every person so transferred shall, so far as seniority for promotion is concerned, bo placed.at tho bottom j of the class to which lie is transferred, but he shall be entitled to not less than tlio same salary as that which he received immediately beforo such transfer. ■ - ", "Other amendments,of a machinery character or relating to the conduct of examinations ' huve been made, and officers will no doubt bo supplied with copies when they aro available for dis-* ti'ibution. ' Mattors Still Unsettled. "There aro still soino matters which, tho Association has brought before tho Commissioner not yet dealt With, and which wo .had hoped to see included amopg the regulations now under ' review. Tho question of payment to officers attending Territorial camps for Sundays, holidays, and their own timo should bo settled in view "of'tho camps now being held Tho travelling allowance question has assumed a newphaso since the raising of hotel tariffs, and we ilrgo upon tho Executive the necessity'for further representations'to"the Commissioner in tho interests of officers travelling on Public Service. The ing-on' process, that simple and oftimes profitable solution of the business'man's labour difficulties, hits the salaried mail where he feels it most, cohsequorttly We do-not feel called upon to apologise for! :men'tioliing it. There are several (itifei 1 questions, more or less important; which are still unsettled, „ and which we hope niul expect the Executive will push forward as opportunity otters." " ■