PUBLIC SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2803, 22 June 1916, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVICE

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

CONSIDERATION OP REMITS

Tho annual conference of the Public Service Association was Tesumed' yesterday, Mr. G. Allport presiding. The name of Mr. G. Ward (Porirua Mental Hospital) was omitted from the list of delegates published on. Tuesday. Tho following remits were carried:— •That tho University Senate be approached with a. view to having the Public Service Senior Examination recognised as equivalent to matriculation, with the proviso that where a language has not been taken for the Public Service Senior Examination a candidate must pass in such language before being acknowledged as having passed the matriculation examination. That the question of the production of a medical certificate when an officer is absent on account of sickness for more than threo days be at the discretion of th<* permanent head, or ajs an alternative that in cases of bona fide illness the expenses of obtaining the certificate be met by tho Department concerned. That all annual feave be granted during the war where such can be done without undue inconvenience to the Department. That officers upon Teaching tho age of 40 years be granted three weeks' annual leave, even if their services be under ten years, as such officers are usually of such an ago that two weoks' annual leave for recreation purposes is insufficient. That this association protests against the repeal of Regulation G5 and the regulation, in lieu thereof of April 17, IsUG. That nightwatchmen bo placed on the same footing as messengers, and that they be granted at least fifty-two days' leave during tho year. (These men work Beveii days a week.) That overseers and others in the General Division, where practicable, be given the opportunity of obtaining their annual leave at more suitable seasons. Ike present time of leave granted to these officers is at the Christmas period. That officers in tho Seventh Class with ■£200 per annum on March 31, 1913, be granted special promotion under Regular!? u i??t' s '™ilarly to officers in Claris \ll drawing over .£2OO on March 31, 1913. ("Note. —Officers drawing over J!200 on March 31, 1913, can reach withm three years "if conduct good and work, favourably reported on." Those with exactly ,£2OO on same date can only rearfskU;22o, though the day following, viz?, April 1, 1913, when Parliament voted the increases, they had over ,£2OO, and were then eligible to be granted the abovementioned special promotion. It will thus be se,en that one day onlv separates them from receiving the concession.! That all officers of tho Public Service who are Ite#istrar3 of Electors should receive the same salary (or allowance) as Registrars, whether they are members ot the Post aud Telegraph Branch <sf the service or not. ("Note.—lt is understood that at least four Postmasters who are Registrars of Electors leceive the ,£26« allowance which has in some cases been taken away, from Clerks of Court who are Registrars of Electors/] I hat tho minimum sa Viry for married men be ,£IG6 per annum. That tho annual increase of wages of messengers'and nightwatchmen in. tho Department of Internal Affairs (first grade ,£l5O-.£170) be .£lO per annum. That in view of the difficulties of obtaining suitable houses in certain towns Mio Commissioners he naked to amend Regulation 123 by inserting that the maximum period of married officers be increased to U days. that officers on removal be given the m, ui - cx P ense? w 'iile on transit.' 1 hat salaries bo paid on the Friday, when the end of the month falls on a Saturday or Sunday. i i ! l , at 9 16 Provisions of regulation 201 shall not apply to any officer who had on March 31, 1913, completed five Tears' continuous service, arid who, was at that 1m il - e " se . of fort >' years. 1 liflt this_sectiou (Otago) endorses tho action of the executive in combining uitn other associations to press for payment of the difference between civil and military pay to members oil activo service, and urges continued action until a _',5 V 0 reply is received. Ihat meat' inspectors, employed a« Abattoir managers bo. reclassified, anti allowed to proceed to the maximum of hi'st grade meat inspectors, and that the whole ot the'salary bo paid by the Government.

That as officei6 of the Post and Telegraph and Railways Departments living }ri the backblocks are provided with horisnig accommodation, the same should apply to other officers similarly located, unless other accommodation 'is obtainable.

That a similar provision to flint afforded by regulation 207 with rsference to the granting of increases to officers to Class VII. w'lio have reached the maximum of their cla6s be applicnble to officers of Class VI.