THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2822, 13 July 1916, Page 3

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

ATTITUDE TO COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE

The attitude of the Public Service towards the Commissioners was raised in the House yesterday by two questions by Sir. P. C. Webb.

The first of these, addressed to the Prime Minister, was: (1) Whether he is a ware that in the annual report of the Public Service Association published in the "Public Service Journal" of June 20, 1916, the president of that association (Mr. Allport) stated, and repeated the statement at the recpiit annual dinner of. that association, that the Public Service had no confidence in the administration of the Public Servico Commissioner, and that any merits in the Public Service Act, 1912, had been lost by the manner in' which the Commissioner had administered the Act, and that the Public Service was exasperated that tho Act was not being administered in the manner in which tho framers of it intended H (21 ■ Whether he is aware that the Public Servico Conference of 1915 passed a unanimous vote of confidence and appreciation iu the Public, Service Appeal Board, and at the annual dinner this year, when the president commented on. the Public Service Commissioner, the association again expressed its appreciation of the personnel of tho. Public Service Appeal Board and its-confidence in'it? (3) Whether it. is the intention of the Government to appoint Mr. W. M. Hannay, of Wellington, chairman of the Public Service Appeal Board in place of Mr. Peter Barr? The Right Hon. W. P Massey replied— (1) Whatever may be the opinion of any section of the Public Service, the Government have complete confidence in the administration of tho Public Service Commissioner. (2) I am informed that such is the case. I am also informed that at the Post and Telegraph Conference, which sat a few weeks ago, a resolution was passed as follows: "That the constitution of the-Appeal'Board be so 'altered as toallow of a stipendiary magistrate of broad sympathy aud wide official experience being chairman." There would thus appear to'be a material difference of .opinion between the half of tho Public Service comprising the Post and Telegraph Department and the half comprising tlie rest of the. Service. (3) No other suggestion than that of the Post and Tele- . graph Conference has been made that any change is necessary, and no proposal has beon made that Mr. Hannay should supersede the present chairman. The second question, addressed to tho Postmaster-General, was: Whether he has conveyed to his colleagues the message given to him by the president of the Post and Telegraph Association, Mr. C-amp, at the recent annual dinner of the association, when Mr. Camp 'publicly asked him to take a message to his colleagues asking them to repeal the Public Service Act, 1912, in view of the manner in which it is being administered ? The Right lion. Sir J. G. Ward replied: The appointment of the Public Service Commissioners was made as an act of policy prior 'to the establishment of the National Government. It is obviously in tho category of controversial subjects, and could not, therefore, be considered by a National Government during the war period. In referring to these questions, Mr. E. Newman (Rangitikei) deprecated the bad taste shown by .the . member for Grey in dragging in this attack, and also the bad taste shown by the gentleman who at a public dinner -made an attack upon the Public Service Commissioners. He did not like these surreptitious attacks on public men. The Public Sorvice Commissioner was not there to defend himself-—

Dr. it' Nub: Neither is Mr, Allport. Mr. Newman: Quite so, but that does not excuse the position. I do not know whether the members of tho' House approve of a chairman at a public dinner making an attack "upon the Commissioner. I certainly do not. I have no brief for the Public Service Commissioners, but I believe they have done excellent work, and so far as I am concerned I believe they have come to stay. If they fail in any way it will not be for want of good work, but from the fact that the Government has not carried out the recommendations they have made.