A GOOD OFFICER

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1929, Page 2

A GOOD OFFICER

MR. KI LUCK’S RFT IM EMFNT

PALMERSTON N., March 12. Strong exception to the Health I>e

partment allowing its secretary, Mr E. A. S. Kjllick. to quit the Service to take up the position of town clerk of Timaru, was taken by Air Win. Wallace, chairman of the Hospital Boards’ Conference, to-day. Air Wallace stated that Mr Killick had been an officer of the Department for 25 years, and secretary for 11 years. He regretted his departure from the Department, but was pleased to see that lie had been chosen as town clerk of Tiniaru out of 174 applications. The speaker regretted that the Minister had allowed a man of such ability to leave the Department, but to bis astonishment ho found that the Minister was subservient to the Civil Service Commissioner in the matter. Air Wallace thought the Conference should take steps to get him retained with the Department. If any service in New Zealand wanted top-notchers it was the Civil Service, and Air Ivillick’s departure was a loss' to the whole community. “I may say,” said the speaker, “that at the first opportunity I approached the Alinistei* with a view to efforts being made to retain the services of Mr Killick, and although I gather that some inducement could hi) offered, it was by no means sufficient. The Minister himself made the serious admission that he regretted the state of affairs under which it was impossible to retain the services of men like Mr Killick. A man of such exceptional ability as Mr Killick was surely worth adequate remuneration for his services, especially in view of the fact that if allowed to function fully lie would be the means of saving thousands of pounds in other directions.”