The Press WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1920.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16988, 10 November 1920, Page 8

The Press WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1920.

The Prime Minister. Tlie Trimo Minister has reason to feel proud of the token of esteem presented to him yestorday by the members of the Reform Party in Parliament. Tho sentiments in tho address in which they express their loyalty and confidence in his leadership form a. tribute which is thoroughly deserved. Mr Massey has made mistakes, but no man in his position could avoid mistakes in a tenure of office extending over eight years, which included six of tho most trying and difficult years in tho history of the Dominion. When ho assumed the leadership of the small anil broken Opposition that was left after the election of 1905 not many people would have believed that after fifteen years ho would be a veteran Prime, Minister, stronger and more vigorous than at any earlier part of his carecr. Twice his position was thought to be precarious: at the beginning of 1912, while he was still Leader of the Opposition, and last year, when the Liberal holt from tho Coalition was thought by many people to have left the Reform Party helplessly exposed to the full blast of all the public discontent tliafc had gathered during tho years of tho war. How he roso to eacli occasion is a matter of history.

As we have said, Mr Massey has wads mistakes. We have had oc tasion to criticise and condemn somo of the Government's nets of policj, but we b;ivc never wavered in our belief in the public spirit and patriotic intention of the Prime Minister, and everybody, regardless of party, has admired liis cheerful tirclessness and his devotion to duty. It is the misfortune (if it is a misfortune) of every Prime Minister in this critical age to be rather a target for attack than an object of praise and dovotion. His good deeds are apt to be regarded as "the least one might expect" or to bo ignored altogether: his shortcomings iro nover ignored, and are so much emphasised that one would suppose, that Ins career consists of shortcomings and nothing else. This, is in a certain degree Mr Massey's lot.' But a very little reflection will lead most people, to roalise that his record since he assumed office is on the whole a very fine one. A later age, looking back at tho period 19121920, dispassionately as a later age can, will probably rate it higher even than that. Public Servants and Politics. The proposal that civil servants may be granted leave of absence in order to be-, come candidates for election to Parliament is a most objectionable one, and wo are sure the Legislative Council's opposition to it will moot with' general •approval. The Hon. O. Samuel in an .admirable speech outlined some of the objections to the clause. It is, as he s:iys, a direct incentive to civil servants to take into consideration whether ihey would better their lot by offering themselves as candidates for Parliament. Some civil servants would bo certain to use this extraordinary privilege, and it is very doubtful, as Mr, Samuel pointed out, whether a civil servant, defeated at tho polls, and returning to lus old position, would not be spoiled as a servant ot the State. The impropriety of such an excursion into politics as would bo made easy by tf-ie proposal will be thoroughly appreciated by every civil servant who has a real sense of responsibility and an understanding of the special obligations of his office.' A very few years ago it would also have been thoroughly appreciated by tho whole t>ublie. Such a pro-

posal would been thought shock- ! ing, r.nd the whole service and the | public would have looked askance rt ! any member of the service who returned | to his post, after an unsuccessful fight : for a soat in Parliament. Times have | changed, and in this case not for the ! bettor, but we believe that an over- ; whelming majority of the service and | the public will still greatly dislike this : ->ad and unnecessary prono«al. It would bp the beginning of the end of thatwholesome rule which Cia-s made po'itics ; forbidden ground for the civil servant, j ;or it world speedily lead to the granti ing to civil svrvnnts of complete free- ■ dom to throw themselves heartily into | the party struggles of the day. The | service is a vast machine which works | as smcoiiily as it docs through the absonco of partv 'dissensions within its i * „ ; ranks. Can anyone imagine that the ! efficiency, zeal, and integrity of the I service would net suffer mortal injury '■ cvej'y Government building were ' verted—as Ly the natural and inovit- ■ :il>!e s«;uel to tliis had proposal it : would be converted—into hivo of ocuj fliciing politicians•• There, are men of | all political' creeds in the service to- ! fl.iy, but they w/;rk together happily ' and usefully bccati.se a wise tradition has enabled them to know no politics in j their work. The country will rue the j day -when this tradition is tampered I with. | —— : j A correspondent has written to us j to ask whether it is not possible f::r the .Mayor to cancel :!iis engagement to deliver an address to the people on j Armistice 3>ay. Wo are not aware that ! there is any ''engagement'' in the matj ter. So far as t.c know nobody lias I asked the Mayor to intrude in this manner upon the solemn proceedings; ! the idea of a speech from him seems to us to be too like an idea of Ciis own' to be anybody else's. It is possible that the Mayor may find something appropriate to say, and inny say it well, but, wo must confess that he does not appeal to us as a suitable Public Orator for such an occasion. In any case, no orator is required, and the public will be grateful if somebody can persuade the Mayor that ho can host assist to make the ceremony dignified and impressive by abstaining from intervention of any kind. — There are times to speak and times to keep silent, and it sometimes appears as if the Mayor mixes these times up. AVher© silence is required of him, as will bo tho case to-morrow morning, ho inclines to speech. "Where speech really is required of him, on'the other hand, lie keeps silence, as in the case of his remarks concerning the sword of honour presented to General Godley. Mr Henry Holland, who was Mayor when tho collection for this sword was made, complains that Th\ Thackor has failed to retract his allegation that tlhe local share of the collection came from the municipal funds. When Dr. Thacker made this allegation, it was promptly shown by tho Hon. W. H. Triggs to be quite baseless, and Mr Holland also denied it, and secured from Dr. Thacker si promise that tlhe allegation, would he withdrawn in 'tho House. This promise has not "been kept so far, and it can hardly be kept now. As Mr Holland joints out, the* Mayor's unfounded statement involves a serious imputation against his predecessor. We do not know whether tho Mayor can tolegrap'li a retraction to the Speaker of the House, but if lie can/ ho certainly ought to do it.