THE PUBLIC SERVICE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10607, 4 June 1920, Page 4

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

AND POLITICAL CONTROL STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER. "In one of the Wellington papers,” said the Prime Minister yesterday, “the statement has recently been made that I am-in favour of political control of the Public Service. Such a statement is entirely contrary to fact. A bill is at present being drafted by tho Daw Drafting Office and will bo submitted to Parliament during tho coming session, which will strengthen the existing law with regard to nonpolitical control, and which will remedy certain defects in the Public Service Act itself.

“In saying' that, I stand by what 1 said to the deputation which waited on me some six weeks ago. to the effect that tho Government should be consulted in regard to appointments to tho Administrative Division of the Public Service, which is practically restricted to- permanent heads of departments.” To the said deputation Air Alassrr, as reported in the “Public Service Journal,” said: —

“Air Alassey; I think the appoint, meut of tho heads of departments should be in the hands of the Government. A Minister should be able to choose a man with whom he is able to work. He may have a man pushed on him with whom he would not be able to work. I tell you candidly that I am not going to have a man forced on me that I think is not suitable.” Air Massey added that they could not depend on getting competent men.

[Will Mr Massey explain what this means if it does not mean political control P Will he explain how, if his insistence is successful, and it gets into the above amending hill, the bill will strengthen non-political control ? Will ho be astonished to learn that the “Public Service Journal’’ called his statement a “grave reversal of policy in regard to the control of the service, announced by the Prime Minister during his recent interview?” Will ho further he astonished to learn that the journal in question said, “the simple truth is that the sendee is well on the road back to political con-

trol betrayed ... by its professed friends?” Can he show that these criticisms were wrong? Lastly, will he declare straight out “under whicl king?”—Ed., “N.Z.T.”]