YOUTHS WANTED

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 24, 23 October 1920, Page 14

YOUTHS WANTED

FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE HOW THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED Only six or seven years ago there vera hundreds of youths making great efforts each year-end to qualify for entrance to tho I'ublic Service, nnd though large numbers used to got througli the qualifying stage, only a proportion could he admitted. How'the times have changed! As the result of tho war and other factors, -tho demand for boy or youth labour is more- acute, now than it has ever been in the history of 'the Dominion, arid instead of there a surplus nf applicants for positions in the service there is a remarkable dearth. A special effort is tlieroforo being made by the Public Service Commissioner to meet, the position. '

The public must not run away with the idea that anyone can do the work of n properly-trained Civil Servant. Such is not the case.- It is n business, a profession, tho intricacies of which can only bo understood and appreciated by those In the serri.ee or those having a great deal to do with it. Every Department hns its own work to do, and thero are few positions of any trust at all that could bo filled in any one of them without special' training of some kind. Thus it is essential that there shall always be a well-equipped "source of supply" available for filling tho places of those who die, retire, or leave the service for nnv other reason. The last Juno examinations,' according to the Public Service Commissioner,, revealed such a fallingoff in candidates for the Civil Service that it was decided that something had to be dono to induce youths to enter the service, and that something ha? been done. The scheme,'in brief, invites hoys who havo obtained n proficiency certificate at a State school to take np the Public Service as a caTeer. and to indue* them to do 60 tho Commissioner has devised a plan whereby such hoys may work half their time in a Government office and for the other half of the working day they will be coached ("free, gratis, and for nothing" at the expense of the Government) to enable them to nafs tho Public Service e'ltrn-i'--examination. Prom that point lads of application and ambition mdy go on with their studies in order to matriculate, as a hoy can only climb so high and no higher in the service without having matriculated. Tho Government, however, only sees him through the Public Service entrance examination, and then leaves it to the lad himself to decide whether he cares to improve himself I'vith o view to ultimate betterment) or oiherwfto.

The Commissioner informed a Dominion reporter yesterday that although the training or tutorial scheme would not be initiated before January 10 next, they wero prepared to place iboys in the ?ervico at present, providing they had_ a proficiency certificate, ns it was essential that a lad should have the groundwork of a good primary education for the many demands that would bo mndo on his services. Sfr. Robert Darroch, for eo long headmaster of the Eoseneiith and Hataitni schools, and who has done a great deal of tutorial work in connection with the Civil Service -and police, has been selected to conduct the classes for the boys who will take up the positions being offered them. A start will be made' with the classes early in January in rooms which have been secured in Banks College, Wellington Terrace. In connection with the classes it is intended not only to coach the lads in the manner explained, but they are to be formed into a sort of club. They will have caps, with a special badge; there will be football and cricket teams in connection with the classes, and the exercise grounds of Banks College will be mndn available for physical instruction. Thus, from every point of view, a fine opening is being offered boys who are ready to take up the work—a wonderful change from the days when boys had to battle to get into the service on any rating. For country lads special provision is' being mado for boarding and lodging them through! Ihe agencv of the Y.M.C.A.

Here is a letter thnt the Public Service Commissioner hns recrived from a person in the country :—"Wo havo always wished our boy to improve his education, but living so far back in the country, there has been no oivnortnnitv for him after leaving the primary school. Study is very difficult without a tutor. I think that tho offer is n splendid thing and opens a way for any lad who has ambition and is willing to learn and work, especially the sons of working parents, who cannot afford to s/«h1 them to boarding- schools." Another letter commends the scheme, but (being from North of Auckland) asks whether the boy in question could not be placed in Auckland or Whangnrci. The answer to that is in the negative, as tutors cannot be provided in every town, but after passing tho examination it may be possible to.arrango transfers.