PUBLIC SERVICE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1929, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVICE

A REMARKABLE CIRCULAR. CLASSIFICATION REPORTS. WELLNIGTON, January 10. The Public Service Commissioner has set the State employees under his jurisdiction an extraordinary task lor the current month. Departmental heads have, it is stated, received one of the most remarkable circulars ever issued from an official source. Its object is to classify all Slate employees, on papei, in tho most meticulous manner. A largo printed sheet is marked off into many spaces, in each of which there is to appear an opinion of the controlling officer regarding the personal qualities of the men under his diioetion. There is a large sheet for each employee. So that nothing can ho left to the vocabulary of tho reporting officer, the sheet already contains all tbe adjectives which could possibly he used in relation to the person whose qualities have to ho sot down, presumably ns part of the elaborate classification system prevailing in the Civil Service. “What supervision required?” is one of the questions. On the right-hand side of this circular appears a long list of adjectives, one of which has to he underlined hv the reporting officer as his own idea of the word which host describes the victim. Tho words attached to this heading are: “Attentive, Inattentive, Indiscreet, Earnest. Easilv distracted. Does not pull full weight. Lazy. Energetic. Energy misdirected, Good work under supervision. Able to concentrate, Watches the clock, Good memory. Poor memory.” “Manner and Address and Temperament” is a heading which provides much scope for possibilities. One of the following must he underlined hv Ihe reporting officer ns an indication of what American pTivehologv experts would call the reaction 10 this test. The printed list assumes that the New Zealand public servants could be classified. in a word, under one of the following designations: “Convincing. Polished. Courteous. Irritates. Overhearing. Nervous. Deserved phlegmatic,. Impetuous, ,Argumentive. Confident, Even, Resentful, Cheerful, Uncouth.”

As it is a law of the public service that employees who are “reported on” must see the nature of the report, there peculiar classification returns are being,submitted to the individuals with the necessary adjectives underlined. The result in some cases has been to disclose an unsuspected turn for argument and a. temptation on tbe mart of the rcnnvt’”" officer to substitute for “Cnu"‘ nu underlining of “Irritates” nr “Resentful.”

Tbe ronort sheets are supposed to he confidential, hut they aroused so much resentment in tho service that thov have become the subject of general discussion, and a. comparing of impressions. enabling some of the high lights of the production to become almost public property.