a

attempt to introduce into the Civil
Service a body of men designed from
the outset to discharge the higher
Functions of the Service, as the Higher
Division of the British Civil Service
is, and qualified to do so by more sub.
stantial educational equipment than
that possessed by those who enter
under the present system. It is true
that some encouragement is given to
those men to widen the scope of their
knowledge by attending evening and
other classes at ‘the Universities, but
this practice does not produce the
same effect as would the introduction
of a “cadre” of men who have had
the highest education in their youth,
and is uneconomic in that the start
is not made with the best material
available. Any such recruitment
should, of course, be on an equal footing
 for all, that is to say, by open
competitive examination, and we do
not suggest that men should be
appointed merely because they have
a University or other qualification,
except, of course, in the case of purely
technical posts. Examinations should
be open to men from the Mother Country
 and from other dominions, as those
tor the British Civil Service are now
open to men from all the dominjons—
uot merely because by this means the
men with the best qualifications might
be obtained, but because any such
system might conceivably lead to a
freer interchange of thought and
practice. . These objects might also be
attained by interchange for temporary
service of Australian civil servants
with those of the Mother Country and
of the other Dominions.

4. We think that the efficiency of
the Civil Service of Australia would
be strengthened if the conditions of
employment were uniform and officers
were freely interchangeable between
the Commonwealth and the various
States. In any case we think that ib
would be to the advantage of the
Commonwealth and of all the States
that transfers should be freely made
where positions of importance have to
be filled in any of the Civil Services.

5. We consider it a serious anomally
that there should be a conflict of
authorities governing the Services and
the conditions of employment of
ficers, namely, the Public Service
Commissioners and the Arbitration
Jourts. More than one body deals
with the same questions, and a Court
cannot possibly have that intimate
wmowledge of the affairs of the Serrice.
 which is available to the Public
Service Commissioners. The Austraian
 Services are zealous and loyal, but
she system is not well calculated to
promote those qualities which, above
all, should characterise a Service enrusted
 with. the administration of
Government business. We take the
‘ollowing extract from the annual redort
 of the Commonwealth Public Service
 Board, 1925: —
‘“ It is, however, anomalous that
while the Public Service Board is
vested with authority under the
Public Service Act to inquire into
methods of management of departments
 with a view to more economical
 working and to fix rates of
payment in accordance with the
ascertained relative value of the
duties performed, awards may be
made from time to time by the
Public Service Arbitration Court
varying the decisions of the Board.
Under existing legislation two
separate authorities are engaged
without co-ordination on the
same task of adjudicating on the
"emuneration of public servants.
* Duplication of authority in
determining the conditions of employment
 of public servants is
opposed to the public interest, and
presents a problem in legislation
which must sooner or later be
faced. In the opinion of the Board
the time has arrived when serious
consideration should be given to
the establishment of a proper coordination
 between the functions
of the Public Service Board and
those of the Public Service Arbitrator
 in the determination of
salaries, wages, hours of duty and
overtime.’?