THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 40, 8 July 1914, Page 6

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Jji his annual report, which wa.j presented to Parliament oil Friday (says the Times) tlir Public Srrvc.v 00:1111111nioiiur devotes :i great deal i f iittcut.ijn to a complaint Mint there are too many small departments doing- the work of the Public Service. After detailing these mall lU'.partnii'iits and pointing out how -they overlap in their work, Mr. IJoberiM n says:— ■"Wh.it is reiiuired iii thi-i Dominion i a limited number of ilepartiuents, m charge of permanent -heads who will take control ot' all the. clerical and accounting work and provide relief fro.'ii one branch to the other as may be found necessary.

"Much ?o>t iio the s-umtvy, and gen era] inconvenience t':- all concerned', an caused by Ih■' liccci sitv for profession;. :: ads having to deal with stall' matters.

' 'The prc>e'it .-.ystem is uiineeoHsardv co.-l:-. an;l not nearly so eil'icicnt a ,; cue with a limited number of pcrma.i-

.'i heads who alone should be desorib ii, rfdminisirativo officers. The lep vtincuts I l'i ci.inmeiid are the following fourteen in place of the e\ntii!£ ihirty-laivo:—-(1) '1 r.'ii.stiry io im'ii: !c t. i SdtliT--. I'uhlk* S-.Tvici'. r:. and <Ud-aifr Pulsion-! (2t IntiTiu' Ati'airs, t;> in.•lf.]; l PtiuI it* !!c;i1l!i. Uonlal 110.-pil.nU. I til: n i *1 - lion. fc>tiiUsllci.iii. ;ni.l (!o\rriinu'iit Printing.

I (:») Edii'-ation. I (-!) .lusiite. to include Native. Cook • f-lailils. Ciotvii Law, and Prisons. (■>) Trade and Industries. to inelud ■ j Ir.dn-.tries Commerce, Mines. Mar- ■ ini». In pi ell 11 «f Machinery. Labor. PaI tents, Tourist and' Health Report-. I (it) .Agri>'n!lur?. I (7) li.!uul KcVctiuc, to include La nil [ and Income Tax, Stamps. Lands and Deeds Keui t"y. aiirl Vahuation. | (S) l.a::is anil .Survey, to include J Lands for Settlement. i!>) Cu-toms and Excise, j (10 (iovernment Insurance, to in- } elude National Provident I'uud and Friendly So'doties. (11) I'ub'ie Trust. (12) Public Work-. (IS) Suite Fire In nr.m. e. ,V (14) Po.it and Telegraph. | "The Audit Department and tike eivilI ian members of the Defence and Police | Department are not included. It is i necessary fir the Audit Office to hava ' a. -stall' \v!iifli should maintain an c\j istcncc apart from a permanent lie:'. I ■, otliej- than the Controller and Auditortleiieral.

"In recommending a Deparlnient of Trade and ImliislTies, instead of a, number of independent drpa rtmenl', jievfi.iiiiiiiii- work which, is more, or icss Liter- ivhi ted. 1 have in view the great development- likely to take place ; n the near future.

"It lias been impressed on the ! o!:.missii ners since they have taken control of the .vrvice that steps should be taken to brin£ the district officers m.»v closely into touch with their head olfi-, ccs. in or.icr to ensure a full and sympathetic ('<)• relation oi tlie roiicclivc duties.

"The u-its of the Commissioners in the dill'erent portions of tile Dominion have enabled them to say that a very marked improvement could be effected ir the relations at pro-cut existing between the scveial offices of departments if they v.ere 'brought more into touch with each , ther. it has bc?li foiio.l teat in-lincti'ms are drafted, form-; sometimes )>riiited, a,nd selwispfc put into operation by head offices wit ho.it the district offices being brought ii'.t J consultation in regard to thcee oftentimes important, matter* In this wav a department is frequently deprived of the assistance of able and enthusiastic officers, whose nj lnion3 and advb-,, u regard to many matters affecting the ■organisation of the work would be o: the gvcate-t \almj."

lie .-lays:--"I (tated eigiliit month, ago that the service was not, broadly -]ieaking, found to be in so efficient a .state as it should have been,, but that there was a marked improvement and an enUm-is-m oil the part of member- «:( lilO sciviv.'. and a, dtv-ire to inipvov'tin- working niolliods, wliich \\\\-> m»-; before known. I jim to be l tin • lo say thiit tlio imj>ro\ciii( k Tii lias bc'ii cotiliHUMiis. -nil Utpjv is still much to doiic.

"The -low nm! ponderous niovciu-j'is of Mtiue depitrtmcnts, and the sftiinin-j ])iiralv>is o| ollicni in times of vnu-r----,-<''icy. ;»!•«• tb<' i'i'-iiU of «'ause-> \vhi<'ii i;' )' b;iri;. ,m ! whirh Ikivc been clirri»n!t lo i'iml i<e under a >y>(em--oi't ilie rr-siill iif legislation- whicJr bas overloaded Ministers with details, main ol which reouirc. not only the personal care of the Minister and the permanent, head of the department, but the attention of the Ooveraor-in-CounciL The highest efficiency can more, rapidly be attained by improvement from above than from below: and in order to put matters on a business footing 1 . 1 would rcconinfend as .a preliminary that steps be taken to have existing Acta of Parliament examined with a view to eliminating such provisions in rvgnrd to procedure as may be at the 'present considered to be mere formnlities which could be avoided altogether or dificharg;e<: in the department."