PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 86, 28 August 1912, Page 4

PUBLIC SERVICE REFORM

L HIE GOVERNMENTS BILL EXPLAINED. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION. By Telegraph- Own Correspondent. Wellington, Lasu Night. The Pub]if Service Hill was introduced by Governor's message in the House of representatives thio afternoon. It generally lollows the lines of the Bill introduced Uy Ike lion. A. L. ilcrdman when he was a private member. One of the first provisions is that any person who obtains or attempts to obtain the assistance of any member of Parliament for thi( piirpci,-c of obtaining employment will he disqualified from obtaining such employment, and any member of the &ervi«o who obtains, or attempts to obtain, > the assistance of any member of Parlia- j Jiient for the purpose of obtaining pro- j motion or any personal advantage in : the public service shall forthwith im dismissed. 'J!he 1 Sill goes on to provide for the appointment of a commissioner, charged with the administration of th-e Act, and two assistant commissioners', who will be under the control of the Chief Commissioner. All three will be appointed for a term of seven years, and will be eligible for appointment at the end of that term. The commissioner will receive a salary of £I3OO, and the assistant commissioners £BOO each. The commissioner may be removed from office by the Governor for misbehaviour or incompetence, but before he can be removed the Governor must cause to be laid before Parliament a full statement of the grounds of the suspension within seven days after the. meeting of Parliament. If the House resolves that the commissioner ought! to.'be removed from office 'he will be so removed, but whatever is the verdict of the House it must be given within twenty-one days after the statement has been, laid before it. The Bill further provides that the Governor, on the recommendation of the commissioner, may suspend or remove either or both of the assistant .commissioners.

To ensure a proper standard of efficiency and economy in thr. public service the commissioner ifi directed to cause any department to lie inspected, and the commissioner or the assistant commissioners must investigate the character of the work performed by every officer of that department, and the efficiency, economy and general working of the depigment If the commwMOnei at any time findh that a greatt'i number of pi lions is onpkmd in am department than he d( termini s ta be necosary for i(i efficient woikmg the may if efficient, be tian>ferred to inothei dc pirtment which lie cotiMdoi-, requnes additional a -wtanee If tliev <annot be iw fully and fofitabh employed the commissioner must recommend the Gov ernor to dispen-e with tliPii instance The commissioner must furnii-li to Par liimmt at least oiiip in wd vear a miort on the condition and cffieicno of the public sciuie and of its proceed nigs, and milii ite the change- and mea mhci ncccssan in his opinion for the linpiovcd woikmg or for the woiking of any department For the pui poses of the Ad the public si'ivic" ii io consist of the following - Vdniuusf ratn e professional clerical, and general The first duty of the will be to grade offieei-s and classify work op tfiese lines, and it will be his duty to >regrade them at interval of not more than five years. The first and subsequent grading will be submitted.to the Governor. 'lf the Governor (which in this 'case, of course, means the Government) does, not approve, it will be the duty of the commissioner to submit another proposal. If the Governor -does not approve of any proposal <i statement.-of his -reasons must be laid before.Parliament.',. -.. .

The Bill provides that promotion can 'only be made as the. result of efficiency, | but it is also provided' that the Gover- | nor may, by message to tho House, recommend a rateable, ■. Reduction or, in; crease, according to a specified rate, in the salary of each person in'each class of any division. Tf such into is adopted' bv.Lthe House it will take effect from that" date. Increases of salary will depend upon good conduct, but it=is laid down that every officer who has been employed in the service'for not less than three years shall, on attaining the age of twenty-one years, receive . ftt least £IOO a year. Power-'is also given to the commissioner to regrade officers when the exigencies of the service necessitate such a course, and he is also given powers in regard to tile appointment of temporary officers, determining the mode of procuring stores For the service, and facilitating apd securing the better selection of suitable 'persons for promotion and appointment and retaining the services of those who are found most fit. The commissioner is further empowered to make regulations for the competitive examination of persons desirous of admission into the; service, and it is provided also that no one shall be appointed unless he lias passed the prescribed examination. Separate examinations' arc to be held for the different divisions, .and admission will be on probation for six months. No appointment i>f any oersons already in the service to any nermanent office may be made except at the instance 0/ the commissioner, or upon the written request of the. Minister, and no such appointment may be made except upon a certificate from the commissioner that such, an appointment is Teauired, and that there is no person in the service fit or qualified and available for such a position, that a competitive examination has been held, and that the person named in the certificate is the most successful candidate,, or that an examination is not required.

Appointees to the service must" not )>n leas than 15 nor over 40 years of a-g'3. Temporary officers may be appointed in eases of necessity. Provision is also made for the creation of a board of appeal appointed by the Governor, the officers of the Post and Telegraph Department, and the remaining; officers of the public service. In Part 3 of the Bill it is laid down that all promotions and appointments to the .administrative division shall be made with regard to special qualifications and aptitude, as well a? seniority. in grade or duration of service, seniority to be subordinated to considerations of special fitness. There are to be two grades in. the professional and. clerical divisions, a higher and a lower stack. Officers receiving a salarv of £3OO and upwards are in the higher grade, and under £3OO in the lower crack. As to the fillin<r "f in these divisions, it is nrovi'M tb't the Governor mav, on the .recommemhrtion of the Commissioner, appoint nnv officer to fill anv vacancy (re" 1 "' 1 liciacf had to seniority and fitness) r if it annears that such appointment would result in the duties being more efficiently performed than bv selecting an officer from anv other department. ■'Fitness" is defined as special hnowkdgo or special oualifications and aptitude for the discharge of duties. Tt is further provided tlmr- all promotions and appointments shall, es far as practicable, be made from the same grade as that in which the vacancy occurs, ov from the immediately inferior grade. No person entering the service after the passiiif of the Tiill will be entitled to promotion from the lower to the higher grade, unless he has pas=ed an examination having relation to his work. Provision is made for the holding of examinations at such times as may he necessary, and power >* given to an officer to decline promotion or Appointment without, prejudice to Mi right to anv figure promotion or but no officer shall be allowed to refu.se

compliance with any order of the com- ' missioner directing his removal from one position to another, unless lie adduces some valid reason, in the judgment of the commissioner. In the administrative division, professional division and clerical division officers are deemed to be three-monthly servants and removable as such, and officers of other brandies of the public service as monthly servants and removable as such. There are extensive provisions in the Bill for dealing with the eases of officers deemed to be guilty of dereliction of duty or breaches of the Act, and the, power is given the commissioner to reduce in rank, tine or recommend the Governor to dismiss such officer, as well as other minor pains and penalties. The commissioner is also given power to initiate inquiry into reported cases of misconduct, but neither officers nor departments will be entitled .to be reprej scnted by counsel or agent at'inquiries | held by the commissioner. The commisi sioner is required to keep a complete I record of inquiries, and these must afterI wards be available for reference. Fraudu-" lent bankruptcy or felony is punishable by-forfeiture of office. , The Bill contains strict provision* which debar any officer from engaging in any private employment connected with commercial or professional pursuits. Further, officers engaged in any privateemployment whatever are "at once" required to notify the fact to the com-* missioner. If such private employment . interferes with the due and proper discharge of an-officer's public duties the commissioner is empowered to require such officer to resign the employment in question. Part 4 of the Bill deals with the . former provisions as to deductions from »salaries in relation to certain officers under the Reform Act of 1886, and the Insurance Act of 1803. Existing rights in regard to superannuation arc absolutely preserved, but no officer is to h* entitled to compensation in consequence of dismissal or reduction of salary. All appointments, etc.. and regulations under the Act are to be gazetted. Finally, the Bill includes, several schedules providing for the necessary repeal of clauses in existing Acts to bring our statute law into conformity with the provisions' of the Bill, for the continuation and preservation ot superannuation, of "policy" rights, and the annual rates of increment to officers in the different "f divisions.