NON-POLITICAL CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 214, 4 June 1920, Page 6

NON-POLITICAL CONTROL

AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE MR. MASSEY AND THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION Sonio days ago a statement was credited to tho Primo-Minister that lm was favourable to a reversion to tho old system of political control of the Public Service, which the Public Service Act, introduced and passed in tho first year of Mr. Massoy's ofiico as Prime Minister, was intended to stop for over. Mr. Massey was asked yesterday for his version of his reported utterance. Mr. Massey'a statement was as follows:—

"In ono of tho Wellington papers tlio statement has recently been made that I am in favour' of political control of the Public Service. Such a statement is entirely contrary to fact. A Bill is at present being drafted by the Law Drafting Office and will bo submitted to Parliament during the coming session, which will strengthen tho existing law with regard to non-political control, and which will remedy certain defects in tim Publio Service Act itself. In saying that. I stand by what I said to the deputation which waited on mo some si* weeks ago. to the effect that the Government should be consulted in regard to appointments to the Administrative Division of the Public Service, which is practically restricted to permanent h'eads of Department/!."

Tho fact is that in tho days of the National Government two important Departments—tho Public Trust Office and the Post Office—were taken from tho control of the Commissioners, and thai, the reasons for tho change being 110 longei existent, there is a possibility that these two Departments will be once more brought under non-political control.