HOIST WITH THEIR OWN PETARD.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 938, 4 October 1910, Page 4

HOIST WITH THEIR OWN PETARD.

: $ —. . . It had been 6ur intention to c6ngratulato Mr. Hogan and his fellow members on the G6vGrnmont side of .tho H6use on the independent stand which they took on Friday evening last on tho question of increases of salaries of Civil Servants. Instead, we find it necessary to commiserate with ,the,tn and to express the hope that they will profit by the experience gained. It will bo re>

membered that during the discussion of the Estimates on Friday evening last exception was taken by several members to certain increases of salaries proposed to bo made. The discussion oulminated in a motion by Me. Hogan to. reduce the Treasury Department vote by £l "as an indication that definite salaries should be allotted to definite positions in the Publio Service, and that all increments should take place gradually from the lowest to the highest position in any Department." This motion was carried by 28 votes to 26," the Government thus being defeated by two votes on an important question of policy. We do not propose to arguo the merits of the .motion; our present object is merely to direct attention to the awkward position in which the Ministerialist rank and file, as well as the members of tho Cabinet, are prone to place themselves owing to their neglect of guiding principles on 'which to base their political conduct. Blindly obeying their leader's orders, or driven by party interests, they commit themselves; to-day to actions which frustrate their future endeavours. The case we are quoting illustrates this very admirably. Mb. Hogan carried his motion as stated above, and amongst those who voted with him. were Messes. Arnold, •Witty, and Paeata—all staunch supporters of the Government on ordin-. ary_ occasions. But if they will turn their attention to Hansard N0..2 of the present session, pages 77 and 79, they will discover that their votes as there; recorded render absolutely useless their action on Friday last.v On the occasion in question (June 30) Me. Massey moved the following amendment on an Imprest Supply

"When ,an. item of the ■ Estimates is reduced as an indication to the Government .that the Committee of Supply is .of a oertain opinion, suoh reduction shall be taken-as au instruction by the Executive,, and complied with accordingly." .. No one, we think, can question the propriety of this rule. The : House presumably is 'the master of 'the Executive, and whon the House decides a given question the Executive should carry but that decision.: But what happened? The Government following—with the ' exception of Messes. Field and Poole, who, to their credit be it said, voted to affirm the principle) laid down in the amendment—yielded to the pressure of the Government Whips, and voted j to place the Executive in_ a position of independence of the voice of. Parliament. In other, words, ;36-mem-bers of the- Government- following voted away the right of the House to enforce its wishes on the Government of the day. /The point:of particular interest at the moment is , the fact that Messes. Hogan, , Witty, , Arnold, and Parata were; .amongst, the '36 who voted in favour of this vicious principle. And, Me. . Hogan was.the mover, and the.: three named were amongst those, who voted: on Friday : last to. reduce the Treasury vote "as. an.indication"'Jto, ihe Gbyernment that they should change their.methods in the,matter of dealt ing- with .the salaries of public ser■vants !, Probably the members, named have forgotten that in June 'last they blindly ■ voted aw'ay their power to "indicate" to the Government the proper course to follow: . Ministers can now snap their fingers at,'any. such motions; and can afford to smile indulgently at the- futile efforts , of their, followers, who, in. their ,eag_er T ■ness, to . defeat any - -•-proposition brought .forward by their 'opponents, not only sacrificed a great, principle ■but disarmed"' themselves/ Perhaps■ 'the lesson , may .not be .altogether Lost bn;the House. . --.. -' ;, :,.: : f ,r