P. & T OFFICERS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2158, 26 May 1914, Page 6

P. & T OFFICERS

NEW CLASSIFICATION PRAISED

MANY IMPROVEMENTS ■> GENERAL R6JOICINC OVER CHANCES. Tho "Katipo," tho official journal of tho Post aittt Telegraph Officers' iwciatiou, in aft editorial in its current issue Tefers in the following appreciative terms to tfce new Post anil Telegraph classification issued by tho Public Service Commissioner in April last:— "There Wore few among us who expected to see. tho Ckssilcatioß List pub* lished in the month of April, and it is particularly gratifying to think that tho first list that should thus appear con* tains so many improvements in tho lot and prospects of officers. Neve* before, ; so far as wo can gather, has there bean'; such general rejoicing over tho changes that have been wrought between one list and .tho next. First of ail take the style of the document. Tho information supplied is as complete as any reasonable officer cotild wish and in distinct contrast with tho lists of tho last few years that wo have become accustomed to. The advantages that this fuller information affords' to officers who seek to weigh their prospects is very material. "Tho. ago i column gives an indication of the openings likely to occur through age-limit retiremwts, wb.il©. tho location column, besides serving as an aid to those desiring to- trace certain officers, gives an idea of the importance of various officers which can bo limited for future reference-. Officers will certainly rejoice at being brought into lino with otiker Civil Servants in the matter of this information, and we are glad to note that the Commissioner lias met the association in this particular.

. Numerous Salary increases, ."But there are other changes in the list that outweigh academic advantages of this nature. FiUt and foremost practically every officer ,in the General division nas hat! ins maximum increased by £10. This is a considerable and highly appreciate! recognition of the contention of these officers that tliß importance of their duties had not been properly recognised in the scale laid down in tile preceding list. The discussion between tho Commissioner and the association ov~er the maximum for .these particular officers was a lengthy one, and.in increasing tho sealo by Hit) J tho Commissioner has tak.#& a step to- j wards the goal tho . associatiom would I like to see him set up ■as far as these; officers are .concerned, i'fuly he has i reached the point regarded as, reason-, able for the.'average office*, hut' the question of special increments for higher efficiency remains to be- settled. This is* a big question to' bo 'carried forward' in ordinary .circumstance's, but as .nearly twelve months must elapse, before any officer becomes. oAtjtled to this special consideration the necessity for a decision is not an immediate one. Progress has been made- and the improvement will go a long way towards removing the signs of discontent which have been so apparent hi tiro last few- years. 'While on this subject.wo want to make, it quite, clear that, the association's goat tor tho averag* General Division officer has been reached. Its future efforts will bo devoted towards improving the position of tho first-dass 'fltfieort. The association knows, and the men hi the Division know too, that there are thoso amongst them ii'ho stftsd prc-erninefrtly above their fellows in the performance of their daily duties. For these men the association willleavo. no stone ■ unturned to have, their superiar' wot king merit recognised. The bid all through the interview with the Oommwsioaer has been to advaneo the goal of tho hiflher efficients. In this effort tho association has sound common sense to aid- it.

The Line o! Advance;, "No branch of tho expenditure- of the Department offers greater possibilities for economy than that of salaries. But there is false ecoiwmy as well as true economy, and the association stakes all.in tho belief that th© raductiofi of tho good, tho bad, and. tjio indifferent to tho same salary level is penny wise and pound foolish.-There mast tea niche for tho specially efficient to attain to or those who'tag somewhat in bringing intelligence or energy, or both, to bear upon their diitfes will'soon havo no special standard to emulate* To have ono dead salary level for officers bearing tho same official designation bo it elerkj telegraphist, letter-carrier, or lineman will tend to bring the. goad officer back" to tho level of tho average. The influence should bo aft tho other way, mud wo feel sure that if a Standard w«ro raised for tho good officer, talents would develop in quarters at present not dreamed of. Success iat. this direction cannot be achieved by tho association, unaided. Officers will havo. to drop many old prejudices and Sea.vn to regard tho position in the abstract, It is only when the "personal' element is eliminated by a process of self-educa-tion that success is possible. In a nutshell it comes to this-. If Smith i$ a better officer than you am v briisg yourself up to Smith's level, birfe doni'fc deny tho right of Smith to a better salary than yourself while you are doing so'. From tho association's point of view every officer in the rank and iilo should bo emulating some ehisivo- but aggressive* ly efficient Smith and Smith is the man who merits the Very hes-fc possible salary treatment. If you wsaeh his staa-> dard then you also are entitled te the very best possibfo salary.treat-nteni.

A Marked litipfdvenient. "But to return to the list. A great change, lias como over the Clerical IW- : vision. Even eoni-paiing this.year's list with last year's tie improvement is a marked one, as tfie following totals 'of officers in each class will servo to show: Class. 1913. 1914 1- 17 17 II: 9 10 HI 30 21 - < IV. 34 35 V. 104 150 , VI. 388 513 VII. 1.344- 1,12") ■ ■ viii. -431 : 'm Totals ... 2,230 2JS7 "It is true that alt the offers shown in Class VI are not entrtfecl to the maximum of the class bat they only fall short of it by oft? HWomieiit.'and "their inclusion in the class is" on ife ground that their duties afltt the diligence with which they perform them 'warranted recommendations t«t advance thorn. (Seo tho interview.) To this este-ilt therefore tho standard of ite duties of -.t\ and T. clerical officers hm b«en raised, and as a consequence canta-iim-eat is already robbing the pessimist of his audience. Batter Times Heralded. "Undoubtedly tho list for this yeaf has heralded in better times for P. ana' T. officers, and'a Bcpartßwni, which is admitted to bo highly efficient by all who discuss the point is not now m tlie anomalous position of grudging proper recompense to the servants'oil whom that efficiency rests. Ths struggle for adequate recognition of «i?r status has been a long and arduous one, hilt in the last year or so those who have had the important task of steerine; a course towards success have had the knowledge that the volume of support was ever increasing, and that most of I lie dissension ov?r the actual goal soujiiit was dropped over-hoard. "Officers linn fly knew what tlvc.v wanted, and what they Were entitled io, and they realised tfiat the men' cntrustecl with the. official task of representing their. v«wp tliqroaghly appreciated the positiffl."-