THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 60, 29 July 1912, Page 6

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

MR. HERMAN'S BILL. TO BE INTRODUCED THIS SESSION. SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS MEASURES. The Minister for Justice (Hon. A. L. Herdman) informed a Times representative that the Civil Service Reform Bill, which 'he intended to introduce this session, would be very similar to the one he brought down as a private member's Bill in the 1911 and previous sessions. The Bill, he said, was now in the printer's .hands. He indicated that although the measure would be introduced, in all probability it would not be proceeded with this year, as there would not be time for the House to fully discuss it. The measure that Mr. Herdinan so often tried to place on the Statute Book provided for the placing of the Civil Service under a chief commissioner and two assistant commissioners appointed by the Governor-in-Couneil, the commissioners being responsible to Parliament alone. AN IMPORTANT CLAUSE.

The first operative provision runs thus:

After the passing of this Act, any person who obtains the assistance of, or attempts to obtain the assistance of, any Minister of the Crown or member of Parliament for the purpose of obtaining employment in the public service, shall be disqualified from obtaining such employment, and any person who, whilst employed in the public service, obtains, or attempts to obtain, the assistance of any Minister of the Crown or member of Parliament for the purpose of obtaining promotion or any personal advantage in the public service, shall forthwith be dismissed. The chief commissioner may be suspended from his office by the Governor for misbehaviour or incompetence, but shall not be removed from office unless Parliament so decides within 21 days after receiving from the Prime Minister a full statement of the grounds of suspension. On the recommendation of the chief commissioner the Governor may suspend or remove the assistant commissioners, or any of them. EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY.

Tn order to ensure the establishment and continuance of a proper standard of efficiency and economy in the public service the chief commissioner is to cause each department to be inspected as often as is essential; and he or his assistant commissioners are to investigate the character of the work performed by every officer therein, and the efficiency, economy and genera! working of such department, both separately and in relation to other departments, and may for such purpose examine the permanent heads of such department and such other witnesses as may appear to be necessary. The chief commissioner is empowered to transfer any persons from a department where he considers there is an excess of employes to any other department which may require additional assistance.

If the persons found to be in excess cannot be profitably employed in any other department, then their services are Ito be dispensed with. The chief com- | missioner is authorised to increase or I diminish the total number of persons to be employed, or alter the distribution of officers in any department. APPEAL BOARD. ! There is provision for appeal to a ! board consisting of a Judge of the Supreme Court or of the Arbitration Court (who will be chairman), the chief commissioner and an officer serving in the department in which the appellant is employed and who has been elected a member of the board of appeal by the officers of such department. The machinery for election is fully set out. COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS. The chief commissioner is, subject to the Governor, to make regulations for the competitive examination of persons desirous of admission into the public service, which are to prescribe medical examination, standard of tests as to acquirements and efficiency, the time and place of examination, etc., and examiners may be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the chief com- j missioner. I No appointment of any person already i in the service to any permanent office or; position may be made except at the in- j stance of the chief commissioner or upon the written request of the permanent head of a department to the Minister to be transmitted by the Minister to the chief commissioner; and "no such appointment shall in any case be made except upon a certificate from the chief | commissioner that such appointment is { required." {