CIVIL SERVICE CLASSIFICATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 12 November 1907, Page 2

CIVIL SERVICE CLASSIFICATION.

POST AND TELEGRAPH. Sir Joseph Ward, in moving the second reading of the Post and Telegraph Classification Bill, explained that all the existing classifications of the Post and Telegraph Department were repealed and the classes reduced from thirty-two to fourteen. This made the classification more compact, and provided for the more rapid advancement of the men in the different grades than was the case before. It was proposed to increase the Secretary's salary from £BOO to £IOOO, the Oovernment recognising the great development of the service, the revenue j from which in the course of a few years would reach £1,000,000. The AssistantSecretary was raised from £7oo' to £BOO. The maximum of the clerical

division, first grade, was raised from i £SOO to £OOO. Under the classification ■ a lad entering the service at sixteen years of age in twelve years could reach a maximum of £220. This would, he thought, act as an incentivo to young people to join the service. In this respect considerable difficulty had teen experienced in getting a sufficiency of applicants for appointment to the service. A young fellow, however, need not stop

at the maximum; the pick of the brains of the service was required for the different branches, and it was quite possible for a young man with exceptional capacity to pass on to another grade without waiting for the full expiry of the twelve years. In regard to women employees, two grades were provided, from £IOO to £IBO, and from £l3O to £l5O. Junior letter - carriers, commencing at £SO, could go up to £l7O by the time they were twenty-eight. The whole of these increases the first year involved an additional expenditure of £7OOO, and £3700 the second year. 1 lie had reason to believe that what was proposed in this Bill met with the general acceptance of the service. Mr. Massey said the House was perfectly willing to do justice to what was ' an important branch of the public ser--1 viee. He did not believe in cheeseparing in the public service. Messrs. Mills, Ilerries, Jennings, Hornsby, Mal- • colm and Arnold expressed approval of the measure. 11l the course of debate 1 pleas were made for country postmistresses, who, it was alleged, at prc-

sent received miserable pittances; an for linemen, who had to go out in al

kinds of weather to repair the lines. The Postmaster-General, in reply, said that under the classification provision was made for country postmistresses

who were in the service of the Department, but those who were being paid fees, of course, could not lie included, because tliey were not members of the service. There was a general revision of the fees now going on, in order to see whether improvements could be effected. The Bill was read a second time on the voices. RAILWAYS. Sir Joseph Ward, in moving the second reading of the Government Railways Department Classification Bill, deprecated the comparisons which had been made with a vietf to showing that the classification in the post and telegraph service was better, from a monetary point of view, to the men in that service than the classification of the railway service, and quoted figures at length proving that there was no basis for these statements. By inadvertence, crossing-keepers in charge of important and busy crossings, blacksmiths on special engine work, and steel-moulders had been omitted from the sixpence per day additional. Under this classification cadets who joined could reach a salary of £llO by the time they attained the age of twenty-two years. It would not be very long before there was an income considerably over three millions from the railways. Apprentices' pay had been increased by sixpence per day, attaining to the rate of 4s per day on entering the fifth year, with full wages of 9s (id a day on completion of apprenticeship. He thought those who wanted to 'be fair would recognise that a great deal iji the way of improvement was proposed under this legislation for the railway employees throughout the country. Complaint had been made that the first division was worse off in some respects than men of the second division, but if all the privileges connected with that division were to be enjoyed there must be an equivalent in the way of work if special treatment was to be extended. The overtime, in addition to the increments provided for under the new classification, amounted to £27,000 by way of the shortening of hours, etc. The total increases provided for amounted to £84,772 per annum, and with overtime allowances, to £100,272 per annum, The former increases-totalled £OO,OOO. He thought it would be admitted that the Government in submitting these proposals had endeavored to be fair. Mr. Massey hoped that the proposals would go a very long way towards remedying the grievances of the men and placing matters on a more satisfactory footing than they had been for the last few years. Mr. Wilford said for the first time this Bill dealt generously with apprentices. For the first time for nianj wars men in the locomotjve department got an increase of pay: While enginemen and firemen got an increase of Od a day, cleaners got an increase up to Is a day, and he was pleased at the readjustment. He commended to the Minister's attention the case of the iron-machinists and blacksmiths. He congratulated the Government upon making the railway laborers' wages 8s minimum instead of 7s Od.

Jlr. Hornaby said an attempt had been made to grapple witli a big question. There must, however, be something wrong in the service wlioi; they fomul men seeking to leave it in the way tlisy were doing. He was glad to hear from tlie Premier that the question of lodging allowance was under consideration. Tlie temporary transfer system required remedying, for under it men were deprived of their lodging allowance, Tlie debate was continued by Messrs. Nidey, Hogg, Barclay, Ell, Bennec, llogan, Hanan, and Ross. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, entered into details regarding the various representations made in respect to particular branches of the service. He said he would be glad to give consideration to the representations made during the course of the debate.

The Bill was read a second time on the voices. THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

The Premier moved the second reading of the Public Service Classification Bill, which, he said, provided the machinery for bringing in a deiinite system of classification of the officers of the service outside post and telegraphs and police, already provided for. In regard to the 15s travelling allowance, when in committee they would require to amend this, as in some cases sKfe a day was necossarv.

An hon' member: What about members of Parliament?

The Premier: The decision arrived at is to fix 15s; the present raje of 10s ;s too low, when travelling to and from home.

Mr. Massey supported the Bill. It contained the germs of an idea which oil many , .■ ,is had been put forward by hiiib.e.!' and other members of tho Opposition. The Bill, however, scarcely effected the reform he wanted in regard (o making appointments to the public service. He wished to see appointments made on merit and not through political influence.

Tiie Premier, in reply, informed the House Iliat when the Bill was in committee lie would make a proposition which would remove the Civil Service from the influence of members of Parliament by making it illegal for any member to make a recommendation in regard (o (lie promotion or transfer of any ollicer. (Hear, heal'.)

Mr. T. Mackenzie: Appointments as well?

The Premier: Yes, I am quite agreeable to do that, because it will be certainly better for the service, the country, and members of Parliament. (Hear, hear.) If that is dorie it will elevate the status of the service.

Mr. Massey: Do you agree to tho Board making-appointments? The Premier replied in the negative. Tt introduced another question altogether—the placing of control onfsid-'i tho aulhority of Parliament.

The Hill was road a second time on the voices.