THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10285, 13 July 1911, Page 6

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

THE PROPOSED REFORM.

One plank of Mr Massey's proposed programme of rri'crm was the subject of special comment by tlie Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister of Agriculture, in his speech at the Liberal "social" at Dalefield on Tuesday night (says the New Zealand Times.) The Minister said that Mr Massey's programme included what he had termned "'reforming the Civil Service,' and his proposal to bring this about was, inter alia, "by providing that all appointments and promotions should be made and regulated by a board responsible directly to Parliament, and absolutely free from Ministerial control; by granting to the Civil Servants the right to appeal to a competent tribunal from a decision of the board; also by improving the conditions governing the employment of civil servants." NOT BADLY OFF. "Taking the last proposal first," commented the Minister, "I say that, speaking with an inner knowledge of the matter, civil servants, whilst there may be those who feel that they would like to do l>etter, on the whole are not so badly off, what with provision made for their old age, etc., holidays, getting paid wet and fine, annual leave, etc. With reference to the Civil Service Boards (and leaving out Mr Massey's opposition to the railways being run by commissioners) you will observe that he not only wants a board appointed consisting of probably two or more men with huge salaries, but that if this board does not satisfy the Civil Servants they can appeal to another board.

| WHAT WOULD IT MEAN? Now. how would I, as Minister, stand? There is a great work before me to do, so far as the Department of Agriculture is concerned. It is simply on the confines of its possibilities, not only from a scientific and productive point, but also from a commercial, distributing and financial assistance point of view. To do +hat work it is essential that I should have the best men that our means will permit us to emply. Will I have liberty under Mr Massey's proposals? No. Let is take a concrete example. Suppose Mr Cuddie was to retire and I required a successor to him. I may know every movement in the good work that Mr Cuddie has been doing, and wish to have a man suitable to continue it, and, as opportunity permitted to enlarge on that work; but the man would be selected not by Cabinet or by myself, who am the responsible head of the department and am responsible to you. Would I have a voice in the selection of the successor? Practically no applications would be called for by the board, and a man would be appointed by that body of men —a body of men that may know personally but little of the kind of man that is necessary, and the special qualifications required. If I offered a, suggestion it would be regarded as 'political interference.' If the man selected proved unsuitable to the department could the Government dispense with his services? No. Could the board dispense with his services permnaently? No. He could still appeal to ,the other set of men—that is, he could appeal seperately to two boards of men, who would probably be entirely ignorant of the expert work required to be done, and both those boards would compel me to keep a man that is unsuitable. AN INTOLERABLE POSITION. The position would simply be intolerable, and would destroy every prospect of good work being accomplished. As Minister I am the connecting link between the people and the Department ; to them I should be responsible, and not to have any sets of men be- j tween me and the people. As Minister I am the ultimate source of responsibility, and it is knowing this that special care is exercised in the

appointment of experts. If they are not satisfactory or their work is not up to the standard we know we have got to answer to Parliament and to the people."