LEAVING THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 185, 1 May 1920, Page 7

LEAVING THE PUBLIC SERVICE

; MR. ROBERTSON RETIRES . 1 ' ' ' 7/.■ ... ; ; WITH THE GOOD WISHES OF His SUBORDINATES .; ; ' Yeslorday tho executive of the New 'Zealand'.Public Service Association met the -Public Service Commissioner.to hid ■him''farewell oh his retirement from, the Public, Service. ... V ' l[v/W. 11. Wright (president) referred ■ to ,the courtesy »nd : forbearance,tli#t Mr. * Robertson.had always shown the associa-tion--.ilur.ing the seven years which had' passed sint'e independent control- ot the • Public: Service had'been.established, lhft . Commissioner had always endeavoured to. do justice, to' the, .service as a. whole, . and throughout the relations With- Im had,been amicable.. lie hopsd thiit Air. Robertson would live long to .enjoy hisleisure, and ho wanted him to leave on \ .'Jus projected trip to.; England wiHi the .full knowledge' that lie held the good will, ' est'eein,, arid: best wishes of the' assd'eia-,' ti'on. . . ; J[r. 'Jerram, vice-president, and Mr. ; 1, Burgess, secretary of .the. 'Wellington . section,'supplemented Mr. Wright's ienirirks, and.Miss B. Trevithick conveyed, to Mr. Robertson the good wishes of tlw lady .members'of the Public Service. . Mr.'Robertson in.reply., said: "There 'is' 'always! a. pang of isadness-*!in .'consciously doins anything for' tho,.last time, and although I have hail n^y-little differences'.of opinion, I. think we have always been good friends. . '■ "J said in last'year's.'report that the servico had never, been in so , high n state of efficiency' before andthe'.offiecrs had never been more loyal. I repiM that at;'the present moment./ I am "proud .to think that-, .notwithstanding evervtliing that has happened, both tho association and the Commissioner aro .able to nay that the service is m such a satisfactory stale of efficiency/"'. • "lii'.-niv! report.. l of' last: year," also thanked 'the association for the assistance they had- given lis. 'That was no empty, compliment at all, because ' the association-.'was really of valuablo assistance while we were getting.on .with last year's. regrading, and we could do liiv more than thank them very heartjlv what they did for lis. ■ ', '"I mentioned its loyalty of, which ' the Service should. be proud. The first time P met an.v branch of. the, associa-. tion was -. -I- think, - in 1913. at Clirist'ciiurch, -and. I then said that the service should cultivate li'gh .ide,als." In a disjointed service such as you were, before, with .no raHying noint, it was somewhat to cultivate ideals that would lie common: to all. I think that these ideals have ■■ been cultivated during 'the past seven years, anil, are. now reaching- somo ; 6ort of maturity. At any rate, in the' seven years a; very, good start- lias been inade. • ;. ; . "In wving 'good-bye,' I must thank you for' : all the' kind things you have sa'd nboiit nie personally, and as Coui- • missioner,' and I ean only ask' 'again : that the -service ishonkl. jealously guard " •'its reputation. •' Everyone tells nie,'-ind : I' kriaV '.mySelf,' that the -Public Set'-. ,vlce'..of New Zealand is what■ is comriionlv called a 'clean service,': and. (hat'"is a splendid, reputation to 'have. Ton have now traditions-asa-common service a-; abart from the -traditions of 1 individual ilepartmeifts." ; . Mi\ Roljertsoii said oood-bye;- ■ 'to. i.i)<llyifl"ual '.members of the Executive Ccmmiitee. . , ■ '.