CIVIL SERVANTS
THE FOUNTAINS IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE, .by C. K. Munro; William Heinemann, English price, 12/6. ) [DESPITE its silly title this book is as | good an introduction as any to the | work of a British civil servant. In 200. pages it explains, amongst other things, the anonymous relationship of the civil servant to the public, the differerice between policy-making and the execution of policy, the reasons why civil servants work hard, how decisions are made, the different types of ministers and the relationship of a minister to his department. The discussion of this last topic is perhaps the best contribution of the book-at least, for the layman. This is not the work of a political scientist, but that of an experienced senior civil servant who wants in practical and friendly terms to tell the public what a civil servant is and. does. To take one example only, in a few pages the functions. of a private secretary are fully (and frankly) described ~-~- the arrangemen of appointments, the of telephone calls ("Put me through to the Minister . . . He’s an old | (continued on next page) |
BOOKS (continued from. previous page)
friend of mine"), the differentiation between personal, political and departmental correspondence, and seeing that the minister is properly briefed on every vccasion. The tone is at times defensive and there. are too many anecdotes; but the book is. recommended tto all those civil servants who are a little unclear on their place in the scheme of things and to all those others (outside the service) who would like to know what the difference is between making money and. running
the country.
W. B.
Sutch
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19530320.2.26.5
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 28, Issue 714, 20 March 1953, Page 13
Word count
Tapeke kupu
272CIVIL SERVANTS New Zealand Listener, Volume 28, Issue 714, 20 March 1953, Page 13
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in