THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2804, 23 June 1916, Page 6

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

9 CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS. Tho annual conference of the Public Service Association was continued yesterday. Mr. G. Allport presided. Tho following remits were carried:— That m tho interest of the State and of the service tho Government' provide social and luncheon rooms in centres where same aro not already provided. That the position of draughtsmen in the Lands and Survey Department be again placed before tho Commissioner.. That this conferenco requests the Government to insert a clause in the Wash-. ing-up Bill amending Clause 51 of the Public Service Act in the direction of, giving officers dismissed the right of appeal. , That shorthand writers and typists who were appointed under tho' regulations previously in force bo placed on a minimum salary of ,£96 per annum. That the allowance to officers using their own motor-cars in tho execution of their duties bo increased to at least Gd. per mile. That.tho Public Service Commissioner be approached with a view to amending the regulations so that every public servant .may have tho right to see his own personal file, at least once a year and make extracts therefrom, and that such privilege shall be extended to include all special cases, 6uoh as appeals against any decision ; of the Public Service .Commissioner or permanent head regarding Lis status, salary, or conduct. That' in view of the fact that accountancy is statutorily recognised as a profession, that where officers are members of this profession, and are performing work of a professional nature they' bo classified in the professional division as provided by Section 33 of the Public Service Act.

That the attention' of tho Commissioner bo drawn to tho following/which appears in tho "Katipo" of June 21, 1915, page 239, with' a view to his keeping the promise therein expressed:— "Public Service regulations 201 and 207 —Further action has been taken, and the position now is that officers of the Seventh Clnfs, lming 12 years' service on March 31, 1913, in conjunction with those whoso salaries were .£2OO or over on March 31, 1913, may now proceed to the Sixth Class." .[Note—The classification list just published makes no provision for increases to officers whoso salaries wero .£2OO on March. 31, 1913, and as many of these are married men with families, it is a hardship that they be penalised because their salaries were not increased until the following day, viz., April 1, 1913, when the Public Service Act itself came into force.]

That regulation i 209 be amended by 'striking out the words "in excess'of three months," and inserting after the word "position" "provided that , such poriod bo not less, than three months." That officers of Class VII, whose salaries are not less than £1% be granted an allowance to provide for a salary equal to .£3ls' whilst performing the duties of a position in. Class VI. That the provisions of.' the Daylight Saving Bill are, approved by this'conference.

That the Commissioner be requested to rule that where Departmental examinations are held in lieu of the regular junior or senior FiiufJc Examination no officer who entered the service prior to such Departmental examination being instituted shall be debarred from promotion by reason of then not having passed such Departmental examination. •'That this conference is of the opinion that the association should not continue to nsk memtfe'to futTiier contribute to the Public Service War Fund, but that it be left to individual members to contribute to, such funds as they may 6elect. ANNUAL DINNER. ' ' ' The annual dinner of the Public Service Association was held in tho Masonic Hall, Boulcott Street, last evening. Mr. G. Allport presided, and among those present were: The Hon. G. W. Kussell, Dr. A. K.i Newman, M.P., Mr. R. A. Wright, - M.l»„ Mr. A...H. Hindmarsh, M.P., and Mr. D. Robertson (Public Service Commissioner). Apologiej for inability to attend were received from the Prime Minister (the Eight Hon. W..F. Massey), Sir Joseph Ward, the Hons. A. L. Herdiuan, A. 31'. Myers, and Sir Francis Bell, and Messrs. Triggs and A. ,D. Thomson (Public Service Commissioners).

Proposing the toast of "Parliament," the' president said that he was sure that when Parliament passed' the Public Service Act it believed .it was doing it for tlio good of tho Service and the country. He would not decry the Act, becauso he thought it a, good Act. However, he did not think it had been as well administered as it might have been. If it had been better administered, and tho officers of the Public Service had been taken more into the confidence of-the Commissioners, a hotter state of affairs would exist today. Mr. Allport also said that the public servants were willing to liave their superannuation adjusted so that widows would receive - better pensions. Replying to the toast, the Hon. G. W. Russell said that as Minister of the Public Servioe he had seen a good deal of the Commissioners, and had been admirably impressed with their honesty of purpose and desire to do justice to the Service as a wliole. He thought that the needs of the Civil Service were: Fair pay, justice in connection with promotion, a reasonable pension and superannuation on retirement, and equal opportunity, so that the man en the lowest rung of the ladder could, by ability, risß to. the top of tho Service. Tho present being a war session, it would be impossible for matters relating to tho Service to be dealt with this year, except two or tfrrco matters relating to men who had gone to the front. He expressed the thanks of tho Government to the men from the Service Ivho had gone to tho front, and he thanked the Service for its donations to. the patriotic funds.

Speaking later, the Public Service Commissioner (Mr. D. Robertson) remarked that in a service of 12,000 officers perfect agreement could not bo expected. Mr. P. \V. Millar (hon. general secretary of tho association) proposed tho toast of "The Appeal Board," and paid a. tributo to the personnel of tho board. Mr. P. Barr, president of the board, responded. Other toasts honoured were; "Army and Navy," Mr. J. W. Macdonalil and Dr. Newman; "Visiting Delegates," Messrs. C. K. C. Robieson and T. P. Gilfedder; • "Kindred Associations,'" Messrs. P. E. Webb, H. A. Parkinson, and G. C. Camp. A very enjoyable entertainment programme was contributed by Messrs. E. Lnks, W. Gomlio, H. F. Wood, and G. Holloway.