WELLINGTON R.S.A.

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 201, 20 May 1921, Page 6

WELLINGTON R.S.A.

AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER PREFERENCE TO RETURNED SOLDIERS The following letter has been sent by the secretary of tho Wellingtori Returned Soldiers’ Asociation (Mr. R. J. F. Aidrich) to the Public Service Commissioner on the question of preference to returned soldiers employed in Government departments :— "The Public Service Commissioner. “Wellington. "Dear Sir, —In view of your statement recently appearing in’the Press, wherein you stated that preference is invariably given to returned soldiers, I desire to bring the following facts before your notice ; but before doing' so I must strongly protest against your remark that the statement made by me was not in accordance with fact. Kindly lot me assure you that I nave chapter and . verse for every statement I made. “My statement was to the effect that, although I am aware that instructions have been issued from your office that returned soldiers shall have preference, these instructions are ignored by the heads of several Departments. "It is noted that you give as a reason for Tho dispensing with the returned soldier temporary clerk, the terms undqr which he is employed. The same conditions, however, are signed by other temporary clerks, not returned soldiers. Tho general public should know that at no time has the R.S.A. requested that permanent hands should bo dismissed to make room for returned soldiers, except that recently my executive suggested that there were several men in the Public Service who had reached the retiring age, and could well bo superannuated. At tho present time there are a number of men employed in the Public Service who have already been superannuated, and who are receiving a salary in addition to their superannuation. I can furnish you with the names of at least five of these, and there are probably many others. "Tho letter signed by 'Temporary Hand in The Dominion newspaper of May 3 was written by a man who had long since been superannuated, and ••who was retained in the Government service after temporary returned soldier clerks had been dismissed, and only dismissed and replaced by a returned soldier after I had personally cited his case. "Quite recently Hhree men were given notice of tho termination of their employment in the Public Trust Department. No complaints had ever been made regarding their work, and their notices stated that their work had been satisfactory. There were other temporary clerks in the Department not returned soldiers, whose services were being retained. These latter have now been given notice, hut' the fact remains that the returned soldiers were the first to receive 1L "It should not lie necessary for my executive to, bring these cases before your notice, and the fact that it is so necessary shows that effect is not being given to your instructions 'by the heads of Departments—Yours faithfully, ' "(Signed) .R J. F. ALDRICH, ' "Secretary.”