The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 188. The Civil Service.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 51, 2 October 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 188. The Civil Service.

For several sessions the Government has promised a complete investigation into all matters concerning- the organisation and classification o* the Civil Service, and some two or three years ago ft commission, consisting of civil servants, travelled over the Colony with the ostensible purpose of making a lengthy and exhaustive report. We balieve that such a report was prepared nud handed in to the Government, and its fearful proportion*, made up of a mass of useless and trammelling verbiage, had Much an awe-inspiring effect on Minis:ers that we do not believe it was even rea.l as a whole, only one or two sections rec^.ving any attention whatever, and these only induced the discharge of one or two superanuated constables, or the reduction ot the pay of some poor woman who scrubbed out some Government premises in an obscure diggings township. The whole of the saving to the country resulting j lrom the labors of the commission would not pay the interest on the money paid to its members for travel ling expenses. Ministers having promised during the present recess to make a new effort towards remodelling the service, therefore we beg to make a few remarks on the subject as it now stands. Many departments of the Civil Service areovermanaed, and that such should be the case is mev t t*ble when every person who ha 3 a son tha* can read and write, and is of the mature age of fif'tumi, is more or less j desirous of tbrustii.g him on the country by securing an appointment j in the Civil Service, whether the pay or salary is sufficient to keep him or not. Pressure of all kinds is brought to bear on members, and the members in their turn implore Ministers, who are often compelled, against their own wishes and judgment, to make an appointment to satis'y a useful supporter. Wheu a youngster has oncegot into the Civil Service it 13 no easy matter to get him out of it, as the Tite Barnacle principle is rapidly developed and grows stronger every day in himself and all his relations. As Huch appointments are being made day by day in almost every department of the Civil Service, the nu*uber of employes is increasing out of all pro portion to the amount ot work absolutely necessary to ba done to keep the ship of state in good working order. Heads of departments are practically powerless to stem the influx of newly appointed cadets, and have long given up making any attempt to do so. The simplest remedy that suggests itself is that the head of any department should be made responsible f #> r the economical management of such department, and no appointment or promotion be made and anpoved unless on his direct recommendation. Giving this power would be a saving in every possible way, for in: many instances three clerks are employed in doing- the work of oue, and wasting a proportionate quantity of expensive statioDery in carrying out the system of circumlocution that is in existence only to mnke a preteaco of work for the needless two. These two officials could be dispensed with, because no man ;ik >s to bye a lot ol useless work done even if he has been a Government servant from his earliest yews. And as the hitter seldom get to the top of the tree, their prejudices in favor of light wjrk and short hours seldom have Jin opportunity of show- - ing themselves iv the exerci«6 oi

control over a lur^e statF. It is a. mistake as well us a crime to appoint, outsiders over the heads of civil servants of long service, and creates an amount of heartburning- or dissatisfaction that indirectly influences the whole service in a wrung direction. As the appointment is always in p'.'Vment for political «• rvice — with fewexceptions, if any- -it is ail the mure (■'tilling*. We wuuld like to point out one thinjr that we Imve never s en mentioned by uny writer; and that is the unpopularity ot the Civil Service with the public generally, and its caiiso, which we believe — lor we h>vv« a knowledge of these thiu.-s — io be mainly hem the following. All loiters, un'ssajres or com:i;imiCiir.i>ns ot any kind from a superior to an ia forior are cojivryo.il in terms, mid iv :j wa~, that is utterly devoid of oven h pretence of courtesy, and is otten insulting to tha c ram on sense oi the recipient. The :-riturai sequence is that a habit of ruddies or bnisqiicncss is soon formec in porsons naturally incliued to be civil, and the puMic who come in contact with an officer in whose mind is rankling a feoling of iijary, are certain to be masle the victims in their turn, Thuy iiaturuliy enough cry out against the whole service. From the Minis er, then, must proceed the fir.st measure in reform. He must oxercise •se.lt-i.ieniul when he is tempted to pay his political obligations to supplicant members i.y state appointments, and he must practisi; politeness when in communicatiou with his official inferiors, so that liis example may be imitated, to permeate down through every branch ot the service. The courtesy of subordinate officials would then ensure the popularity of the whole Civil Service, while the work would be done more efficiently and at bait the expense.