WILL THE' PRIME MINISTER ACT?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 788, 11 April 1910, Page 6

WILL THE' PRIME MINISTER ACT?

....♦■ . It is difficult to see how the Prime Minister can neglect to take notice of the way in which the Hon. It. M'Kenzie has been putting into practice his theory that when he received his portfolio he was invested with power to do exactly' as he pleased. Nobody can doubtthat this Minister has done an improper thing in over-riding the combined judgments of a number of expert engineers in the matter of the North of Auckland railway route. That he should set up his opinion in a matter of this kind against that_ of the experts is so grotesque a thing that the public cannot be expected to tolerate it. It is possible, _of course, that other than engineering considerations might properly be held to govern the settlement of such questions. Such reasons do not, however, exist in the present case. The Minister has given no good reason for his action, and the public will therefore wonder what has been his motive. We noted the ; other day his more recent enunciation of the principlo that as a Minister he can veto the decisions of Parliament in respect of public works votes. This outrageous cToctrine, although laid down in bald language, has not been repudiated by the Prime Minister. A worse case, however,, than either of these insupportable displays of Ministerial insolence appears in another column, in the shape of certain evidence given before the Committee of the House of Representatives last session. We are indebted to our evening contemporary for the unearthing of this astonishing sidelight upon the Minister's methods, which we venture to say is so serious that the Prime Minister must, take some action to satisfy 'the public. Mr. M'Kenzie, in the course of a bullying examination of Mr; Holmes —who is held by the profession, -we , believe, tp- be one of the two best engineers in New Zealand—laid down the doctrine that the "business of the high experts in the Government's employ is to report just as Ministers wish them to report, or instruct them to report. It is not necessary to say a single word in exposition, of the obvious impropriety of that, principle. Honesty and independence, under such a doctrine, aro virtues that a Departmental official could not indulge excepting at the riskof falling under the ban of his Ministerial chief. Sir Joseph Ward was prompt enough in visiting Mr. Hogg, with the severest rebuke within his power when that Minister.aired some views that,' though foolish, were honourable enough, and views, moreover, merely on economic questions. We are certain that the public resentment aroused by Mr. Hogg was .a mere trifle compared with the indignation; that;..Mß. .'.M.'Kenzie's .mcthodfiiihavej. inspired in the public. Mr. Hogg merely laid down some, unwise general theories which he'.had rio meansflf putting' into practice. ■' Mr.. M'Kenzie . has laid down some vicious principles .which he .is not oply in a position, to put.in practice/but which have already been adopted by him in the administration of his Department. Sir Joseph WARD'asked for Mr. Hogg's resignation. What dries-he intend to do respecting ■ Mr. M'K.enzie I■' Unless he does something; drastic, the pub-, lie will bs bound to J conclude that the Prime Minister heartily . endorses his colleague's actions.