PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 42, 11 August 1911, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1911. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Wellington, Last Night. The House of Representatives met,at 2.30 p.m. RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES. A petition was read from the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, asking for a 10 per cent increase in wages all round, and that Is 3d per hour be paid to casuals; all persons doing shunting work to be paid shunters' wages; the working week to be 46 hours, and not less than nine hours off between shifts; dismissed servants to be permitted te continue to pay in the Superannuation Fund; andi full citizen rights for all railway servants. •IVIL SERVICE REFORM. Speaking on the Civil Service Reform Bill, which he moved for leave to introduce, Mr. Ilerdman said New Zealand was behind the times so far as the management of the public service was concerned. There was a considerable amount of discontent existing in the various branches of the Civil Service. He considered there was ample justification for the attitude he had taken up-in regard to the reform of the service. The system in Australia of placing affairs of Civil Servants in the hands of three commissioners was infinitely better than the state of affairs existing here. The control of large bodies of servants was becoming a science. He provided in the Bill for a chief commissioner and two assistant commissioners outside the service, and thoroughly competent business men, who shall be appointed by the Go-vernor-in-Council. The commissioners would assume complete control of public ' servants, fix their salaries, and arrange their promotion. Provision was made for prohibiting servants from canvassing Ministers or members of Parliament, under a penalty of dismissal. Likewise a similar canvass would disqualify prospective Civil Servants. The Fundamental principle of the Bill was that the commissioners were responsible to Parliament and not to the Ministry solely. Mr. Hanan said the system advocated by Mr. Herdma® for the control of public servants had not been a success in New South Wales, where the service was seething with discontent. He had made enquiries in Australia, and had been assured that political and outside influence wr-> iwed there, notwithstanding public si'i'vir" boards, and merit was not always recognised, lie would like to see periodical departmental tests applied right through the Civil service. Tests were applied in the Post and Telegraph Department, and worked very satisfactorily there. Merit and' length of service should count in promotion. The br*t brains should be available for heads •f departments. Commissioners were not a success. There must be someone who ia responsible to Parliament and the people, and it would be a violation of democratic principles to establish comi missioners in connection with the public service.

Mr. Massey said there was no parallel between the Railway Commissioners (which he opposed) and public service commissioners. The Hon. J. A. Millar had informed the House once that oneseventh of the total population of New Zealand depended on the Government for support. He did not know quite how many people there were in the public service, but a board of control, consisting of commissioners, was very necessary for controlling the public service of the country. The present principle of Government appointments was far from sound.

Mr. Jennings said, as a democratic principle, ho would oppose the measure. Commissioners, he said, were not satisfactory. If members were prepared to surrender their rights as full representatives of the people, they had no right to be in the house. 1

Mr. T. Y. Duncan was opposed to public service commissions of any shape «r form.

Mr. McLaren said it was a shame and pretence of reform to exchange one boss for another.

Mr. Hogg failed to see how the present system of control of the public service could be very much improved. Mr. Laurcnson was sure there were very few appointments made to the public service by political influence. The appointment of a public service board would be a distinct reaction. Mr. Ross opposed the Bill. Mr. Ell said if the affairs of the public service were handed over to a board of control there would be more discontent than ever.

The debate was adjourned till tomorrow. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Wanganui School Sites Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. TOWN PLANNING BILL. Mr. Forbes, continuing the deate on the second reading of the Town Planning Bill, said the Bill was a workable one, and should be proceeded with with the utmost expedition. Town planning meant a certain amount of restraint on individuals in the cutting up of land and there was, therefore, great need for preparing a Bill which would be workable in every direction. He suggested that the Government might get an ex-" pert to advise local bodies in the direction of town planning. Mr. Glover supported the Bill, but saw no immediate hurry for placing it on the Statute Book.

Mr. Ell applauded the objects of the Bill and urged that the existing ppwers of local authorities should be widened At present local authorities were not in a position to exercise control over owners cutting up blocks of city lands. Mr. Hanan held that power should be exercised over local bodies which failed to do their duty. He endorsed the suggestion that power might be given to people to initiate a scheme by referenda

Mr. Davey objected to too much cen- »„ too

t„^'-«I al r ° { bjMted t0 the P ro posal ' loan for town planning purposes could be raised without the con-

regar,lfl ' 1 U,c measure vnrtlr« rlght He fathe Government supplying an ox?',J• , ca , bodles for drafting plans foi their development. too r f,,."? U iV ai< l thc Bi " cither "'cnt too far 01 did not go far enough. There r?l? t0 "? 10 1,6 ****** to coun--2 w'" * ° ® overnor "' n "Council n«id back again He did not agree with lim'pom's '" S for

The Hon. G. IJowlds, replying, said he was sure the Bill was a P 'Jopular one He was sorry objection had toen raised to the functions of the Governor-in- • i Tl ' e Govprn o'' in-Council was the Ministers of the Crown, acting in conjunction with the Governor. 'Ministers of the Crown couhl not hold their positions except by the will nf the people. Nothing could be more demoeratic than that. There must lie somie authority to give lerpal sanction to various Acts. The contention that onlv ratepayers were concerned in the outlay of towns did not need answering, Children I

were being stunted in their growth for want of open space, and if they were prepared to wait for the ratepayers to sanction loans for town-planning then slums would continue to exist. The first consideration of ratepayers was to get the most rent possible from the miserable persons who occupied their hovels, and their second consideration was to secure a reduction in rates. Rentpavcm must have a say in the matter. The giving of votes to householders in connection with the elections of mayors and councillors was a mere sham if it could be blocked for want of men for the work designed. He was sure if the Bill w«re carried there would in future be no such things as slums. He approved of the suggestion that an expert should be consulted with regard to the planning of towns. With regard to future cities he had no objection to making provision for them. The Bill was read a second time. EFFECT OF ENGLISH STRIKES. Mr. Buchanan asked the Government if, in view of the cablegrams stating that the Opaw<i had been prevented from discharging her frozen meat cargo owing to the strikes, they were prepared to do anything in connection with the supply of coal to the affected steamers. The Hon. J. A. Millar replied that the Government would do all possible in the matter. The House rose at 10.36 p.m.