THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3536, 29 May 1912, Page 5

THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.

CAN IT GET THROUGH IN TIME ?

PUBLIC SERVANTS’ CRITICISM,

MR. MACKENZIE EXPRESSES AN

OPINION

By Telegraph—Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, May 28.

The possibility of the Civil Service Commission being able to bring up anything like a useful or comprehensive report in the three or four weeks available is questioned by experienceu members of the service; nor does the service appear to lie altogether satisfied with the personnel of the Uommission.

However much business men may know about business matters they argue they can only enter on the necessary inquiry either with the idea that the Civil Service can be run on strictly commercial lines (•which they regard as an impossibility), or they will -enter on tlieir investigations without any preconceived line of action .

As to the first point, public servants are rightly or wrongly of the opinion that in many if not most cases, commercial methods are difficult of application to departments, many of -which are, to a large extent, concerned chiefly in the keeping of records and are in no wise run for commercial purposes. If the 'Commission devotes itself entirely to inquiring into the advisableness or otherwise of the keeping of all or some of the records it will require very exhaustive evidence, and the inquiry would probably take very many months. If not, public servants urge, the Commission will, in the time at its disposal, scarcely he able to learn wliat the system in vogue really is. and its deliberations and inquiries will bear very little fruit. There is, therefore, a- feeling among some of the older members of the service that it would have been wiser for the Government to have appointed to the Commission one or two members of the service who could have given the Commission a guiding hand in order to facilitate the despatch of business.

There is also a general opinion that it would he quite sufficient if the Commission confined its investigations to Wellington, t here all the evidence, in regard to the system of administration could be obtained. The fact that each of the three Royal Commissioners appointed has to report by June 25 was brought under the notice of the Prime Minister by a Post reporter. “A Royal Commission,” he said, in reply, ‘‘can always apply for an extension" of time. Further, in connection with some of the Commissioners, I could not have secured the services of some of the high tvpe.of men I was in quest of had they thought that the inquiry was to be a prolonged undertaking. The public will*-be surprised, too, in connection with the Civil Service Commission to find how capable business men can get into the kernel of questions brought before them. The members of the Civil Service Commission are of a type not to be nicked up at every street corner. They are busily engaged in great- activities of life "controlling large commercial undertakings, and can only spare a limited amount of tlieir valuable time in doing the work they are called upon to do. ‘‘Besides this,’* added the Prime Minister, “we want to get at the real position of some of the matters that are to be inquired into and if possible to give effect at an early date to any reforms that may he recommended. The public have been calling out for much and now the first step that the Government has taken seems to be challenged. One would suppose that the Government did not- realise the difficulties that are pointed out sq generously, or realise the responsibility attaching to the step we have taken. As a matter of fact we are fully alive to all of them.” The Commission will commence its sittings in Parliament Buildings, Wellington, oil Friday.