The Dominion. TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1920. NON-POLITICAL CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 235, 29 June 1920, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1920. NON-POLITICAL CONTROL

Non-political control of tho Public Service is emphatically a reform that has made good. When the 'Reform Government took office in 1912 and the Hon. A. L. (now Mr. Justice) Heedman secured tho passage of the Bill establishing a Public Se'rvice Board, which he had submitted unsuccessfully to earlier non-political control had a very mixed reception. It was attacked fiercely by politicians who. now givo it their tacit approval, "or even proclaim its virtues; and the attitude of considerable sections of the Public Service, if it 1 was not condemnatory, was at least coldly critical. In the spaco of rather less than eight years a wonderful ehange has' been wrought, Apart from the fact that many of the politicians who at first opposed \ this' great reform have changed : their tune, sentiment throughout the Departments which aro under Commissioner control is overwhelmingly in favour of this form of administration. The approval with which the members of the general Public Service regard non-political control has been stated in the clearcat and strongest terms by their official representatives. This is entirely as it should be, but even enthusiasm in a.good causo may be carried, at times, to an exaggerated extreme. For instance, in an editorial based on some recent observations by the Prime Minister, the Puhlic Service Journal demonstrafes that it is not only prepared to defend the system •of non-poli-tical control against but is eager and ready to defend it when no attack is made or intended.

The statement by Mr. Massey which has stirred the official organ of .the Public Service Association ,to an almost hysterical outburst contains, so far as we can'see, nothing to which any reasonable exception can be taken. The Prime Minister wns ■ concerned to deny an assertion which had been published that he was in favour of political control of tho Public Service. Declaring that this was entirely contrary to fact, he added:

A Bill is at present being drafted by the Law Drafting Office, and will be submitted to Parliament during the coming, session, which will strengthen the existing law with regard to non-political control, and which will remedy certain defects in the Public Service Act itself. In saying that 1 I stand by what I said ... to the effect that the Government should be consulted in regard to appointment* to the Administrative' Division of the Public Sorvicc, which is practically restricted to permanent heads of Departments. •

In the latter part of this statement the Public Service Journal finds evidence of an outrageous attempt to pave the way for the reintroduction of political patronage. A complete answer to its violent ■tirade on tho subject is to be found, in the Prime Minister's words, Mr. Massey did not suggest that even in the appointment of administrative officers the authority and independence o,f the Public Service Commissioner should be in any way impaired. All that he urged was that in' the case of such appointments—that is to say, the apnointmont of a few highly-placed officials who must work in intimate touch with Ministers in carrying out the policy of the Governmcntthe Government ought to be consulted. It is certainly right that the final word regarding appointments even in this class should rest with the Commissioner, and there is no-

thing in the Prime Minister's statement to indicate that ho takes uny other view. But it may happen on occasion—particularly if _ the principle of promotion hy merit is freely applied—that several applicants of equal standing and ability may be available to fill a given administrative position. In that case what harm would be dono by allowing a Minister to indicate the official with whom he would prefer to work, and to whom he could look most; confidently for loyal corporation 1 It would still remain for the Commissioner _to satisfy himself that the applicant' thus endorsed was in all respects entitled to the position and qualified to fill it What Mr. Masses' had to say about the appointment of administrative officers is much less important than' his statement on the same occasion that the amending legislation which is to be laid bofoiv, Parliament this session will strengthen, the cxisiinr law with regard to non-political control. ■ That statement is satisfactory and definite. No doubt extended experience of the working of the Public Service Act has suggested improvements which will give non-' political control an own stronger and more assured standing Mian it enjovs to-day. Meantime it is sure lv far-fetched to suggest that the Crovernment which carried out this great reform is at all inclined to undormine it, Any such suggestion is oomnlefely answered by the Prime Minister's nlnin statement, that the object of thfi. draft legislation about to be laid before Parliament is to strengthen non-politieal control.