The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1915. THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1915. THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Ibc ..-contents of the annual report of the JPublic. Service Commissioner are not rsuchi-as will cause a great stir. The document is more remarkable for the stress laid on trivialities than for any indication of good work done by the Commissioner. Taxpayer, will natural-ly-expect some evidence of practical results . from the new system, especially with regard to economy, but they will be woefully disappointed, and the quesSiecnlthatv.will; consequently crop up will be as to whether this somewhat expensive body has justified its existence. In stating that the efficiency of the Public Service should be of the highest staidarVl,' the Commissioner merely advances an obvious and accepted truism. It was for that object that the Commission "was created, but it is as yet unachieved. The improvement is slow and the Commissioner is disappointed. Tf that feeling is engendered by the reflection that is implied on the work of the Commission it is intelligible, but not if it indicates a fault or faults on fhe part of'the public servants, for the weaknesses should have been rectified before this, especially as they result from old methods that were supposed to have been banished for ever. Yet we may live in hope, for we are told that steps are now being taken which "it is hoped " will result in an improvement, though we are warned that there are diffieultics in dealing with inefficiency of thirty or forty years' standing. No business man in conducting the affairs «f his establishment would merely express dir.Tppomlraent at the continuance of inefficiency and the resistance of that staff to improvements. ITe would promptly and effectually deal with the trouble once and for all. but the f'oui-ini-.sinners, who were specially appointed In see that, the public servants were, in.t only efficient, but also gave good I vain.- for tbejr pay. If they find I heir

tc.sk greater than they can eope witli. their only .proper course would be in make way for men of stronger calibre, and not to dismiss the; most important part of their duty by saying: " It is useless to refer further to the matter at the present, moment" eveept to offer the e-:-use that (he evil is of long standing. Sr, far [owing, of course, to the v. i;ii the very pretentions scheme of amalgamating departments, and. what, is more significant, their plans for economy have been nullified owing to their being c„-u:.elh-d to employ many temporary olbecrs to replace the men on a-tive -e>'. vice. We are told that it is possible to save Cion.flao a. year by the adoption of proper -methods, but these seems to he a- far oil' realisation as ever. What the public looks for is the actual saving, not the possible, and for this they a-.v -till to live in hopes. Another ila'glant breach of well-intentioned regulations is referred, to in connection with the persistent disregard of the rule requiring civil servants to sign the attendance books provided for that purpose, so as to check absence from nlfice without leave, but here, again, the Oonnuis.Coticrs are up against a dead wall of evasion, which they seemed powerless to break through. -Such evasion." says the. Commissioners. ••' is reprehensible." No doubt the culprits will feel this dra-ii- treatment, very acutely, but it i, doubtful if they will be impelled thereby to mend their ways. The whole report reads very much as if it were an apology for failure. It would be extremely interesting to have a record

of What tW 'Ooninv.ssioners have, aetwal- •)'{ done, jfcvompanied 'by a statement of 'tlie corft <jf their work.

A FINK TKIIJUTI. fcV'tball uiiiy !*« regarded as the national j gfMte in this dominion, fcatt to-day (he•tiiiblic interest in the pastime is natur•'ally much diminished owing to the fart that tint nutjf'Jity -of our best phiyws are absent pJayi'ng tlie {{real game, mid our hearts "nave {{one with them. The following li'ihTfl* 'to Ronald Pouiton, the great England three-quarter hack, wh'i.-h appeared in t'he Spectator or May 15, will be of 'interest. Kir, —Lieutenant 1!. \V. IWlttfn Palmer, Royal Rcikshhe Reghnent, the Tillies describes him and »<ids that ho was probably the greatest Rugby three-quarter buck, of all time. He was; and he uas imi.'h more. At Rugby, at Oxford, at Readin,', he. concerned himself intimately ~\vitli tlie tot of his less fortunate eoiffitrymen. "As a captain," says the Times, "he was a born leader." And to many of us it seemed that lie ivas born to leal on fields other than -those of international football. For recently he had inherited the position of a grca't captain of industry; while lie had to tint full that sympathy for Labor 'which comes from practical experience in the shop and loud enduring friendships begun in boys' clubs in mean streets, and cemented in many an August -camp beside the sea. Indeed, liis death is but a reminder of tlie abiding miracle. This young man hafl all the. world can 'givefortune, fair renown, excellence in the field and in the schools, the 'love of all who knew him, the respect b'f all who did not, and opportunity. He'gave them all gladly, dying that the world might live,' in the spirit of the Man he was not ashamed to call Master. In our minds lie leaves a fragrant -memory, in our hearts a splendid hope.—l am, sir, Alfred Ollivtmt.