The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-03-21
Civil Service.

The beauties, advantages, Inconsistent
cies, or whatever they may be termed,
of the civil service system, have frequent
ly been pointed out in various sections,
and they have been perfectly exem-
plifed right here in the Mount Holly
post Office. The incidents of the investi-
cation whereby one employee was dis
charged and where certain recommends
/ tions were made in the case of the princi-
pal official, and which by the way are still
hanging, are not forgotten.
On the retirement of the clerk referred
to, civil service rules were supposed to be
in effect at once. but it seemed otherwise.
Miss Grigg, of Mount Holly, had pre-
viously taken the examination, and was
appointed substitute, which meant that she
must be employed whenever a clerk was on
vacation, and that she was in line of pro-
motion in case of a vacancy. She never
was engaged at the Office, although the
clerks frequently took vacations, and when
the vacancy occurred there was sudden
resolution that no more women should be
employed, so a mau was put in the place,
and Miss Grigg is still specializing on the
value of being appointed substitute"
1t has also been the custom where clerks
have performed their duties in accordance
with the rules of the department for the
postmaster to recommend an increase in
salary, those longest in service being
given preference. But last year when the
time came for this recommendation the
custom was ignored and one of the young
er clerks was favored. The ignoring of
another clerk was supposed to be penal
ty for giving testimony to the inspectors
at the investigation.
Soon after the raise in salary the clerk
who received the preferment resigned.
Here is where civil service was supposed
to come in again. Miss Grigg was still
held off because of the determination to
have only male clerks. There were some
eligibles, men who had passed the requir-
ed examinations, but the vacancy was not
filed, the reason given being a desire to
run the office in an economical manner,
the contention being that the force was
sufficiently large for the work.
The civil service rules allow every ap-
plicant who has passed successful ex-
animation to be in line for appointment
for year, and then a new examination
must be taken. Soon after the expiration
of the year the necessity for economy
melted away and a Young man who had
never taken the examination was put
on the force subject to the test he was to
take later. With two others he went be-
fore the commission and failed to pass, by
a very small percentage. but still small
enough to bar him out. He is still on
duty, subject possibly tc the next ex-
animation which will occur on Saturday
Suppose he does not reach the required
grade then, and one of the others, or a
new applicant, gets the necessary average,
what will be the result? Will there arise
another sudden necessity for economy ?
So far as the Mount Holly post office is
concerned all that civil service seems to
accomplish is to keep in Office those who
go in under its requirements, to be re-
moved only after charges have been pre-
ferred, regardless of whether they are
agreeable, pleasant and obliging to the
public, the same to the face of people as
they are when the people turn their back
The postmaster is not under civil service
rules.