PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 210, 9 October 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PUBLIC SERVICE BILL. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the House this afternoon, Mr. Herdman, speaking on tie first reading •f his Public Service Bill, stated the Bill would remove the abuses of patronage and place-6eeking. Ministers of ths Crown would be freed from continunl application for billets, and able to devote their attention to their proper duties. He referred to the Public Service Board of New South Wales, which was worked admirably, and quoted a letter from the Premier of Victoria in which it was stated there was no desire to revert to the old system of patronage. The Bill proposed placing the Civil Service under the charge of one commissioner and two assistants, the former to hold office for seven years and be only removable by Parliament; ill? service to be divided into four departments; promotions and appointments to be under the control of the chief commissioner as well as temporary appointments. Provision would be made for a board of appeal, consisting of a Judge of the Supreme Court, the chief commissioner and an officer belonging to the department of appellant. The Railway, Police and Education Departments would be exempt from the operations of the Bill. He maintained that if the Bill passed, it would revolutionise the Civil Service, increase efficiency, and give satisfaction all round. It would also render unnecessary any retrenchment in the future. The crying necessity for roform was shown by the statement »' the Premier that a saving of a quarter of a million could be effected in the cost of the Civil Service. THE PREMIER'S PROTEST.

The Premier protested at the discussion of a Bill on its first reading, and would move to amend the Standing Orders in that respect. It was -unsatisfactory to debate a Bill before the House knew its contents. Mr. Herdman had just previous to the introduction of the Bill asked for the expenditure of a large sum of money in his own electorate, yet he professed' to be an economist. Sir Joseph Ward denied that the Public Service Board had worked satisfactorily in Victoria. There was seething discontent with it. Only the House of Representatives could deal with Bil's involving the outlay of money, yet Mr. Herdman proposed that the chief commissioner under the Bill could only be removed from office by the vote of both Houses. Speaking regarding the retrenchment scheme, Sir Joseph said the Government would take an early opport unity to explain the position, and review what had been done. He took exception to Mr.' Herdman's statement that the Bill would do away with the stuffing of persons into the Civil Servte for political purposes. In no case had billets been made for applicants in the ] Railway Department, and the same could be said of other branches of the service. He would deal more fully witn the Bill if it ever reached the second reading stage.

MR. MASSEY'S REMINDER. Mr. Massey reminded the House of the way its rights and privileges were curtailed, and said it was a strange thing that the Premier should take exception to Mr. Herdman speaking on the first reading. A similar thing had been adopted by Mr. Seddon. Mr. Herdman had gone to a great deal of trouble to obtain facts, but a stronger argument in favor of the Bill was the condition of the Civil Service. The present system was unsatisfactory and uneconomical, and there was a crying need for reform. It wa« a very serious state of affairs when we had one seven of the population dependent upon the Civil Service for a livelihood.

The first reading was agreed to by 56 to G.

The remainder of the afternoon was deoted to setting up sessional committees. EVENING SITTING. " NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY. Wellington. Last Night. The House resumed in the evening, when the Imprest Supply Bill was intraduced. Replying to objections to the proposed deviation of the North Auckland j Trunk line, the Hon. R. McKenzie (Min-1 ister for Railways) explained that the 1 interest of the community was tte sole | reason for deciding on the present rout«\ which had been considered on its merits. He had no intention of being bound bj the engineers' reports. Irrespective of his own judgment, the western route would be shorter, less coftly, and would serve more interests than the easte v. route. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The House then went into Committed of Supply, and resolved to allot a sum not exceeding £722.000 by way of imprest for the year ending March. 1010. - THE RECENT LOAN. The Premier, replying to Mr. Massey, said the recent loan was for one million at par at 3 ! / 2 per cent, interest for a term not yet decided. The House rose at 10.20 until Tuesday.