THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 310, 25 September 1918, Page 7

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

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AN APPEAL TO RETAIN HIM

An appeal was made by the Public Service , - Conn, .ssioncr yesterday for tho exemption from military service of the secretary to the Commissioner, Caul Vorsehafvelt-. Evidence in support of ihe appeal was given by A. D. Thomson, Assistant Cominissioner. He said that the secretary was 31 years of age, married, and hail two children. Verschaffolt was the sole executive officer of tho Department, and to take him away would inflict great hardship and inconvenience on the service. Previously appeals had not been made, but the Commissioner was compelled to appeal in this case. The stall' consisted of twenty officers, only two of whom were seniors. There were eight cadets, three women clerks, and five typistes. Messrs. Dixon and Gerard had been lent as secretaries to the Minister of Defence, Jlr. Adams to the Munitions Department, Mr. Smith to the Imperial Supplies Department, Mr. Hull for Appeal Board work, and Mr. Hunter as a Minister's secretary. All of those were senior men, and five other men of experience had gone to the war. Verschaffelt had been in the Department since, ifc began work in 191 p. He had knowledge of the staffs throughout the Dominion, and was experienced in supplying urgent calls for temporary assistance which Government Departments frequently made. , His place could not be satisfactorily filled. The only arrangement which could be made was to take a head of another Department, and that would mean disorganisation elsewhere, while the officer taken would not have the experience the present secretary had. The reservist was the only accountant on. the staff..and accountancy questions were constantly cropping up." Often Verschaffelt had to bo used as an inspector respecting Departmental matters. The Department had had to lay down precedents, and with those the secretary was acquainted and could act on them as they arose. It had been considered impossible to train a man to take his place. There was a great, i&isirth of officers, and all the tails Ifei'U; could not be met. ' I -."'■■ M'JJaren asked if, in the wit- !«.•■.«, opinion, the burden of the war S..OJUU rest only on those who held ; jviiior .-lositions. Witness: No; if needs must, all must go. Mr. M'Laren remarked that the board was informed that several i-itm recently left the Department because they could not get the recognition and the salaries they could command outside it—this owing to the inelasticity of tho reaulations. Witness said that such matters were fixed by statute, not by regulation, and the Commissioners were, of course, bound by the statute. The board reserved.decision. . Decisions were reserved in the cases of Samuel P. Briggs, correspondence clerk, Chi'istcluirch, and K. N. H. Browne, deputy trustee, Dunedin. Both appeals were mado by the Public Trust Office. Adjournments sine die were made in tho cases of ths following, for whom the Hospitals Department appealed:— AV. E. B. Hicks, Porirua; John G. Vickefs, Dunedin: R. Ryce, Seacliff; and G. M. Annitt, Seacliff. Ernest V. Fowler, AV. E. Bell, and C. E. Little were appealed for by the secretary of tho Cooks and Stewards' Union, who Said that they were engaged on seagoing vessels. Decisions were reserved. David 'Dunlop, warder, Te Awamutu, was appealed for by the Prisons Department, and decision was adjourned sine die. Joseph - Wham, grocer's assistant, was appealed for by his employers. Decision was reserved. ■■■... The following reserved decisions were given .—James AV. Ceard, leave till February recommended; H. H. A. Young, C. N. J. Dowland, F. E. Duncan, AV. G. Allingham, T. E. Roberts, , and A. H. Pellow, sine die, ,