PAY OF RANK

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 272, 6 August 1918, Page 6

PAY OF RANK

THE TROUBLE IT MAKES

CLERKS IN UNIFORM

Tho Defence Expenditure Commission has declared strongly against the practice of tho Defonce Department of the putting into uniform every possible employee ol the Department. Tho report of the commission contains the following remarks on the subject:— ''Two authorities supply the staff required for the homo service section in tlio various Defoncu offices—namely, the Public Servico Commissioners, who engage most of the women aud civilian men employed, and the Defence Department itself, which controls tho returned soldier stulf and others in uniform who have enlisted for homo service. "'1 his arrangement certainly operates badly, and in the absence of one controlling bureau to equalise latesot' pay. lor similar work anomalies aro bound to. creep in, and, as a matter of fact, do exist. The General Officer Commanding frankly said that he would prefer that all staff should be engaged through the one agency, and had no objection to the Public Service Commissioners being the agency, but added 'It is a matter ot policy that returned and unfit for active service soldiers should be employed where possible.' Under the existing system tlio Defence Depaitment has to give pay according to rank, and not for the actual work undertaken by the soldier. The Adjutant-General in his evidence said, 'While the system is payment for rank, there is no justification lor offering a major any work at less than his rank pay.' Wo gathered that there is certainly a preference to have militarv clerks in uniform, allegedly' for disciplinary reasons, and so as to havo the call on them for overtime when needed. We are of opinion that a great deal too much can be and is being paid for these advantages, and instanco the following cases

"A. Two returned discharged soldiers were seeking employment. The Public Service Commissioners engaged one aa n civilian messenger at 9s. per day (civilian terms, six days), equalling *J2 lis. per week. The Defenen Denartment engaged the other as an orderly in uniform at !)s. per day (ss. pay and is. rations and lodging allowance) on military conditions (seven days), equalling .£3 3s. per week and clothing. If married, tho orderly gets in addition Is. per day for wife and 9d. per day for each child up to three children; which means that the same Government may, and ofteu does, pay; lip to 60 per cent, more for the man in uniform than for the messenger, both men beiug equally capable.

"B. A Civil Servant was doing senior work at AM per week, with a private under him getting 3s. per week and perquisites. The latter was promoted, and now is paid more than the senior, though both are carrying on in their former relative positions. "Obviously such practice can only breed trouble, especially when accentuated by tho fact that returned men frequently break down and have to lie granted more liberal leave than civilians receive. We also met cases where officers of high rank and salary were doing jobs which could certainly have been allotted to persons far subordinate and drawing half as much pay. There is, too, soiuo indication that returned) men, have since becomo fit are retained in positions which were found for them on pay according to rank instead of according to the_ value of the work dono. A constant revision of these cases should go on, to enable fit men to resumo active military service. The highest authoiities nay, that man-power is likely to bo tho intimate controlling factor in winning the war, and experienced soldiers n ust therefore be of value at the front. "There is certainly too great a tendency to employ returned soldiers in Government Departments in positions even that might be filled by women, instead _of encouraging the 'men to gc-t back into their former civil occupations as quickly as possible, which would obviously be in the interests of tho community. There is also reascui to fear that men are employed on home service whose employment lias never been properly authorised, thus showing tho need for defined establishments and for some central, authority to make all engagements.

"Tho purpose of all this is to place on record our suggestion that the staffs of the various record offices in Wellington should as soon as possible be entirely civilian, all engaged on the terms anil conditions prevalent in the Public Service for Civil Servants, temporary or otherwise, and their pay so far adjusted and rearranged that comparisons would show a general equality for similar work.