THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2520, 22 July 1915, Page 7

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

COMMISSIONER'S REPORT

'A CERTAIN DISAPPOINTMENT'

SAVING OF £100,000 POSSIBLE. Very interesting comment oil the work of the Public Service of New Zealand is contained in the annual report of. the Public Service Commissioner.

"The'efficiency of the Public Service should be of the highest star.dard, and, while this is the goal looked for by the Commissioners, a certain disappointment must be expressed at the comparatively slow rate of improvement: in some Departents," says the Commissioner. "It is useless to refer further to the matter at the present' moment, except to remark that more than one point of inefficiency has been disclosed which has been the result of methods dating back for many years. Steps are being; taken which, it is hoped, will result in an improvement. It is ; however, difficult, when the existing inefficiency is the result of-thirty or forty years' entanglement -'in the meshes- or unbusinesslike methods, to produce. greater efficiency without vexatious delays, but it is satisfactory to record that while seme Departments passively or actively resist improvements which are likely to lead to increased efficiency, others show a sustained endeavour to bring their Departments into the best condition.

' Promotions from Within. ■' "The Commissioners have, : wherever practicable, maintained the principle of filling vacancies in the highor positions from within the Service, and only in a Jew isolated cases has it been considered necessary to invite applications from outside the Service. This principle the Commissioners hope to continue. At the same time they feel that it is due to the officers themselves to state in plain language , that difficulties are being experienced, in finding capable officers to till positions of responsibility, particularly officers with initiative, and possessing a knowledge _ of higher accounts work, together with capacity to supervise and control."

vise ana control." . One Gauso of Waste. The Commissioner states that the. disturbance of the stafFby a large number of men going on active service has precluded: the possibility ,of amalgamating Departments, and has also by compelling the-employment'of many temporary employees, nullified plans for economy. But the Commissioner also says this: —

"It is, however, to! be remarked .that the.- unsettled' state ■of the' - times -has not lessened the , effort on the part of some officers to build up their Departments. So long as small Departments exist, economy, and ; efficiency are not likely, to be regarded by: them , as of equal importance to the aggrandisation of the Department. The condition will probably be kept in check to a certain extent-by : classification. It is not,_ however; ..unknown for a. recommendation to be made involving a change in; title of an officer, which is stated -to be more or less formal, and for the recommendation to bo followed by an application for promotion, the improved 'status being used as a- lover therefor.

?; ; A Serious Defaloation. ■ "What is-believed to be the. most, serious 'defalcation heretofore by any member of the Public Service came to .light,in.phristchurch in .October, last , in connection with tlie collection ."'of land' revenue. The failure to discover the theft at the proper time has been investigated, and a special , report made by a .board' appointed by 'the Public Service Commissioner, consisting] of an accountant from outside the Service and the permanent 'head of a xevenno Department. It is to be regretted that in this particular case a system of keeping the accounts, recommended in 1911 by a committee consisting of two audit inspectors, two receivers of land revenue, and one Treasury officer, is responsible for the, facilities offered to a dishonest officer. ■ In September, 1913, some months' after the Commissioners assumed office, the attention of the 'Au-ditor-General was called by . them to an inherent weakness of method, but .he considered that it would be. a-retrograde step to jevert -to the former system.

Big Saving Possible.: "The Commissioners, on the general question of economy, after two years' experience, are now ablo to say with certainty that given prudent and careful administration, ' the development of initiative, a closer application to duty by officers and stricter insistence on their punctual' attendance, the prevention of unnecessary travelling, the exercise of proper pare in the use of stores and stationery (in whioh great waste occurs), the use of the fullest extent of mechanical devices^'tho introduction and extension of modern methods, and a judicious absorption of 6ome of. the ■ smaller De- • partments, a saving, of a sum not far short of' £100,000 per annnm could be brought about in the expenditure of tho Public Service without curtailing • services, impairing efficiency, or incurring the slightest risk; in fact, it is considered that many interests would be mdre completely safeguarded than at present, and the public better served. ■ ■ - Attendance of Officers. "Prom their own observation, and information which has been received,. the Commissioners regret to state that the attendance of'many of tho officers in Departments is far from satisfactory. Though attendance-books aro required to bo kept, and 1 provision made for super - : vision by responsible officers,. yet the Commissioners have evidence to show that accurate records in many cases are not maintained, by the officers whose duty "it is to do so.' Notwithstanding that the regulations required that no officer shall, except on official business or by express permission of the Permanent Head or head of the branch, leave his office during office hours without entering tho period 'of such absonce (if not on official business) in the attendance-book, it has como under notice tlmA this has been done with frequency by certain officers. The attendance-books thus afford no true record of the actual time many officers are' engaged on official duty. Such evasion'of duty is reprehensible in itself, besides giving rise to unfavourable criticism of the Service generally."-. ■;