The Dominion. SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1914. THE CIVIL SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2187, 27 June 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1914. THE CIVIL SERVICE

The time spent in tho House -A Reprcsentativps yesterday in tli&cess- , ing the Public Service was hy no means wasted. It was quite naUival that Sir Joseph Wakb should seize an early opportunity to do a 'itc'.e electioneering, and w surprise will be experienced at his attack on UiiPublic Service Cowimissionw , system. His party for over twenty jaars found the Public Sarvicc a tt'seful medium for the bestowal of rewwds to political friends, and it is quite natural in the circwnstaiwcs tlaat he should be opposed to the .abolition ft' tho old system. Unhappily for in case, tho grounds on ivnichko based his complaints against the non-poli-tical system arc not .substantiated by facts, and in certain respects are absolutely unfounded. Hl* |Jtofessed concern for the- i'jght of Civil Servants to appeal against decisions of tho Commissioners in the matter of promotions, dismissals, etc,, is amusing in .view of the fact that tho Act already provides the very fullest power, as witness the recent judgment of the Chief Justice, from which no appeal h to bo maeto. But Sir Joseph Ward's anxiety in this respect is quite laughable, when it, is borne in mind that- except for two Departments of tho Public Service— ■ in one of which at least, the appeaJT was, subject to Ministerial teto—iha

I Liberal Government for twenty years iaiied to concedo PuV lie Servants tliu right of ap» peal which be now doe-ins so necessary. The Leader of tlio Opposition tried very hard yesterday to make it appear that he had given that right but- he knows quite well'lie did notljiag of. the' kind. All that he ditl was to provide under tho fubli.e Service OlassificaUon Aet of Jii67 for the right «f Civil Servants to apply to tlwi.o who had cJassified them for a recoasideration of their classifieatien. Under the existing law, Civil Servants have the right to appeal in the freest, and widest possible maiv ncr not merely to those whose decisions are in (furatioo, l)«t to an inrfependent aiuj impartial ti-ihumil. Slit Josbph Ward knows this; he known that the Civil Servants are .better off iu the matter of securing hpaost ledresß f>v their grievances ■tlian thoy fiver have been 'nftdtst , his or any other Oovernment's control; and he knows, as. tkc Civil S-amtits themselves know; ' that- it- v/as the Relorm Government that pla-cod titem iu that happy position- The Leader of the. Opposition mur talk from now until election tky coßefir-n----ing tlie Civil Service, but ho will Bc\per convince the public' of Npav -Zoalaad that political eontroi ©! the I Pablo Service, with all its attend-] ftnt evils, is in the interests of] tae people'or ifi the itite-rests -of-1 those members of the Service who are i prepared to rely far their udvattae- J Blent, oa 'tkoir own- ability apt} i lHstife. ' ' ; Tho rumours oi friction aad dig. | content in the. Public Service ■'oa : Which, the Loader of the Opposition'. kid so fflttoh stress have vc.ry Jittle ho.sk .in fact, and still less jvjisliifica* tioii. The object of the AafsiJteJornj- ' evs metm, to ha to create- as much : dissatisfaefcion a.s jjossiblo ih tsiie Sfer- ■ Vice, in order to justify their 0*11: anasmprenjieiiftg hostility to-' thepolicy of thfl He form (Sovornftiejit ia : aoi.n,§ away with the etfils of p-oJiti-' oa.J itifltienft;, and maiing ag-pdjpit- 1: incuts and lu'otftaMons depend m merit ilisfea-cl of ikpcadjiig on tW posscEsion of cr a fiic-ad at CoiW-t;" They Vi'aat to mate discontsnt in dUkr to fes ? y e t fl sAy cx j sl j iS _ Ke syston in. the world will give satisfaction to everyone, a.n.tf no: rioii-bt sorttfj of tte eWployofta ef the. Doparbttsnts uiMfer tho ccmtr-oj of tfce Coijifflissimwrs -aw not altogether satisfied with tSiei* let. It isnot a difficult niatte* fot* ontsicle fl.gjteton to cawse a little tronHfi- fey fenftiiig any cinfeer-s of {lis.oo»teirt. t£a{ may ejefefc-jtet t-akinj* the Service as a vfkofo, a i.fc js eerisainljr jn a invtrfi heitrii' iTOS-itiofl,. both , frofn tho pow' 0! viov? of the eratjjmfxw nnc\ '' puMjfl, than it Was d'lirbg. the" ■β-ia regime. Tho ntei-rt bo<Jy of tho Service fully twognfees this, tWagh, M CBrarse, tmcy ai'e aijsiotis t,e maintaiu all tfie j'jgjits and- privileges- tvtfelj ifo Public Service, has ethfernscj .upon tiiera. .Ms. Hebpjwit, ia" fix»esiag the tajtowites,? of Si.ii Joseph Warß's profiijssjMg, briefly recoitutcd sofiie of the actvaatages Vfeigh hftve : teea. eatiloriod o.tt members ol the Scvviee tmrtor the iww c&ndltionsj and they ate 'convincing-. cßougli of tlieipSßlves, Btiii whatthe O-ppesifeion fails to Sec, and wWt is the, ml pof-nt *& te ce.nsid#fe|, is that coinddeiifcAvM tlnesft feftcfits to: fcfce indbkjual nteii:bof,s of t|ie Sei , - 1 vice Iras been % Jfjj'Jflg rfo-vvn of a new gftidiag R.rihcir;].o "ioY the Pwb.lie Servfe. ' / for fte flrsfc tiflie , ovoi a- long- period .of years it is nm re* eagni-Sod that PuMic Swrarvts are tte. servants of- the State, e&s .not ; tho sservaMs.of tho Hiii.istrv oi iW. day. Th e . Public- %rvjec doss" not oxist josfoly for the benefit oi tfis meaiki'S eofiistituting it, any mew, tto It exists to sorve' &p -will ol Ministers. It was broughb Inte csistcflec to Biji've flw asods <jf iha. serve t-ke req-tiireffleafe of tlte people. The Wfte the, fjuaJifieations of tho employees of t|ie : Siafe fc!)D. better 'the- Service- the people toy expeet; ajid' a.| the peeple; We to pay Sm tte iiig;i.fife,ntn.Ge d the . Sevyiec, they are entitled t& ■denia'ncl that tho. oal-y consi-tteatiofts whieh sball weigh in the tnarfage-Wftnt of t-i« barviee me merit and a faitiful peto'riaaßoe of' the duties fjjip.osetl. : This Is provided- fw Witter the Act ijtased by the MAss-Ey Gdvarnme.KE. This is the Ac 6 wlieh gm Joseph Waho. -iyoutd Repeat, s* tk-t to. I"ivblie Service-may oflee more- be ■$*>•' gi-ftdfel t& the ie.\'-ej $ a. part of ffie political m-acljiß*.