THE POLOTICAL OUTLOOK.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1057, 21 February 1911, Page 7

THE POLOTICAL OUTLOOK.

is.it: sXtisfactory? . "/'■'■? ■' ~:'-'i;!' ■: .'■ ' \'''-' tl U^IV.'i^PARTY4' APPOINTMENTS: mt ■ U THEIR EFFUCT ON THE PUB- yi i^'^LicSEßVicE^i:':';:: ■- ~ ' : ■.':;;> tf W?M^ : '- : t • (Br'vDEMocnAT.):''..;. ; ,'-, r' gj ■>'<; /^'^The:': question.how .far :party, appoint- d( •;4\V i »ents. , affect the Publio Service and con- b( : V the the State,-by lu V : /:'\ which; of', course,'is meant the ..people as m . necessarily a:wide one. To m .- .-■' bfgin with/ ills ililflcult.to say just to ;': ■'.> ' ; ; >yhStVexteut■ 'suoh \ appointments, are,' or w] -"V. 'h'iveibeen, made...-It;is, claimed-by tne T0 A'Vgovernment that %i law does, not per- of ,V. : v Sitttt^' person. being .appointed to g I/:-. CtholCivil Service, a cadet, ■ ->'t«fs-ooruDetitiv6 exomlnation. oui, u» ~ /i^Ww :«k^K™Minffi 3 : ; !c«mptions provided• for that•,«»»««* H( rf .''. and'«"l"^.tolr•«««.. sh :• vbfy:■ largo powers of patronage. .They, '.■•. 'Kurse. claim that such P°;v«^. G, only .for. tho common good..But, .~; "n'this Point, their opponente wta , *£ f c •;.•;•' vochtt.the appointment of-a P,ubl o Ser- ce ..:: ■' vice .Board to onsuro a non-politicaL C nil ; ; •: Service, join Issue wi,th them. And ,it „ '.■'■■■■■. Sto be beyond question that appoint- « :;: a : $Ww frequently i mado , in which || : ■ ; '-'.' "political: colour"* is' .clearly, dispernable J" C.---IA J?M s priraaryQualification,of 'tlw.per'v.',v"'-': ; eoli>nppotatcd.-.':ln. of this,- , w of sonie,Goyernr v >' f'rdentißupporters in PaTliamcnt.that their ig ;--a ' constltucuts-arercontmually urging ~indl- -» *•' 'ridual claims upon thenii which they ate ;■;• . , expected to support with Ministers. . •■(•;. ;*hd-So has sjrved'the party well. Can- c , ',':' ' : nbt- something be done for .him?- .And, A ■•' -v:rioher or. later,' If the'constituent, is in- t ':'::.'ystent;,and : :hiS'friends;,W6;Hifiuential a) --: ; ehtiugh, that. Thus, .'.'■"■ -the. twenty, years of; Liberal, rule fr ;1,-: iiri'this country,.the' Publio.'fcervice has th '-■P- ' 6itolleh : to"- absolutely .unwieldy .propor- M '-'-'-'' .tteniij'and': to; an; extent; altogether disproportionate to the requirements of a '■' '-• ■'.:> pbpdUtion that has only\now,turned the d( :..:!nilUoh. .Thero"is ovideAce, moreover. m ' Übat-theiservice has been liberally stuffed „, - ; :; withvsupporters of the dominant party, o] ■ •riefnited both fron> the-ranks of defeat- . . ■ cdf Government candidates and from the W- VLiberal and Labour-Federation. The, lat- .: v ter.'has, on more thanjone occasion, con- • ■ V. -Vcratiilated its hiombers on securing such " J-;■?'. appointments: s ;Thus.' when the Concilia- " •:'>-'' tion' : Commissioners.-wore appointed, Mr. K -.-''.■•'•/.yiJ'-Nernenyj-presidcnt of the Auckland ," :*-'!. ■: Liberal and Labour Federation; lnconf " ', ' cratulating Mr.Harle on his ap- " ' -s tiAlnfment, spoke of tho number of mem- v ■'-'I>ers'of'.the' federation >who had. been £ ■"■selected ;bv'the Government for. posi- ■ ..';; : t|6h3:ihtho Publij Service, and gave a : :.,,il st'of-Aueklanders thus appointed.. It »• ' ; : ■ 6tehi^indeed, to' be considered .the cor : £ "■ .-' Tiet'thing in "Lib-Lab", circles that "men . e -'/'■'■''ohtnb right, political'oolourV,,should se- " h- ' ■•' cure;:tho sriuV little /billets | that ■Jcreatfed from.Time to time by; the Gov- * "•'.: ■'■'■'■ > And,. as 6oarcely- a year passes K ( '■.""'■':: 'in'.swhich'eomo: nc#".lnw;: does not come ':"• .'"intoiforce, creating additiontd. offices in • '"..:'the Publio Servico.that:havej'.to be filled, '"■''■"■:'■' the nurabet 1 of: Government supporters in 0 j ,".''-,th* service is continually-on the ■ in-•.-'-.'creise.- Ministers are-consequently . al- a , ■■'-"-s'Vays; their-hold upon the 18 >■'!<'■ 'public/offices, arid mnWng.-.it'inn increas- r j ■■' i ingly,difficult matter for.any : other:party j„ •"!'•' -';'•■; t6 .'secure ' ■ control of A the : Treasury r< "■/''benches, and ;tbat is' 1 on 'evil ; of; the -'first C{ .-; [ :,'■' tnag^vtucle..,'; .•'■;■ ) !, :i''-t.*?.* l y! ;■-■■':.'. ■' tl ■V^".' 1 !',:-;'-**-?!-'"'-'.-:;--- '--"'■■■'■■;'-■" C'-'■":'; '/.-.... : ;v,..-..••>- . -■. "B ; A- Non-Political;Service;Ranted. \ ;., p , ' V : :.'i-ijAlthough' tho Civil Service Act does tl ''-■ .ii'not'expressly debar members of.the Pub- ,1c .'-'.", : ! lib} Sirvicq from, taking part in politics, p ..-',■' istKert 1 is a sort of unwritten law (embod- tl v ' 'iMrprobably, in some one or-more: of .the tl :'-1 regulStions made under the authority of e: -' .i t&i Governor in Council, by virtue of tho pi " b( ,"'"; 1 Act &iiself), - which, is I Supposed to deter ni :'.:.'allV^Gbvernment'iservants-! y, ; interests of any;ono of tho C■i y v,:.!" lot-;tho cleotors.- But,:whlle : ive;all, have " T -"' - heard'of 'members of-the.service being -,oi ■''■■Y: ''- dismissei- for taking -action which-they, ." .;'deteed to be in the publio interest (such. « '■: ■■: ;'eHidh'invariably confllctingwith-the m- ; f .' '■ -iteresfs" of-,'the' dominant political party), » : -'. •;' and while' others who .-are'believed .to' .?' :• ''-.'hikye i had Opposition leanings havo" been n- ■: 'tVretrenched/' i.e., relieved of-the offices- ° • -v-they:havo held, the: fact has yet; to.be £ that nny Civil Cervant has lost j '.--', Ellis' 'position -on account of his'support .« •-.-' I'ohthe party that has hold office so long. P '•':.- '■'"- : - InV,V all ,'- : democratic. l;V communities, F ::'iwhere. !party government prevails, .and D .- ; ; ,-",'*h«r6;; the :final'; appeal -is■-.-:to- the » ','' V: pebple, •" it : ; .is,'v, essential .'..to;; the P - 'I complete'-cxerciso' of '■',tho popular will,' P :. " th&tUhe employees: 6f the State—the men ;'■!! ahd'women .who gain: their, livelihood at -'.;'■':■ the "expense of the-community generally ■■: maintain!a;strictlv'n*utral atti- '■'■•■ ■'i tiide..between the political',parties-that ■ ■','•'•• ildny'be contending for ;lii . '': ; ;. this; country,: thorp'., is indisputable ev.i;.\j; dehce that, in'very,many-cases„mcmbers • '■';';,'of;the' publio service—the-employees, that '-. •'; W,'of-tne public at large-r-allt.w their'zeal ( '..-■ ;■ ij to/'outrun their'discretion,- arid ;thus, in s ;•;• ~;l their, support of indiriduals, they have i ji;.;. developed into; mere .-partisans''. It is in- r ;-•.', ;' disputable,: "moreover;'.; that,'-'in nearly ';■•■.-.•'•; efery?branch of the public service, the I "feeling exists' that the only sure road t . toipromption is found'in tho support of f ;• '..■!. the-men who have for so lehg hold tho s ."■;■-.•;;relns'--.ef ; political power. -Again- and 3 when ho has come into contact o '.-.;■'.-..':-.. lyithr.State employees,, the ; writer has t i ■ been''met- with ■ tho statement; that, the i •Y employee must not vote against the Gov- £ > erument - (meaning. - thereby, the ' men c ; holding office; presumably at 1 tho will of 1 \ the people), because, if it: was known ( . .they voted for an Opposition candidate, i :'.they'.'would forfeit their, chances of pro- | r rabtion, and possibly, also endanger tueir i ' -,•- positions in the Government servico. ' ,;. A.nd,;;in" support of-this theory, they i .- ; ..;, Tipint to tho cases .of meu.who have been : ;,.-..:'. ; /Jretfcnched" on, account of-their sup- ', ~;■ ~ posed. Opposition leanings. ;'But, just .-! here,! the writer; has to, frnukly admit, ■'~! that'tho'is- face to face with a serious 'v. . ilifllculty.' In his limited experience; he •f r : thews" of, seyoral' $uch> cases, but, for •'-,. -obvious reasons, ho is unablo to particu- ' larife. any ono 'special 'caso. Ministers ', themselves having refused to famish even •;•• , l*flfhainont with the names of the "retrenched" -.Stato'employees,';there are no ' official records available. -And, as thero ; is,always,the possibility of. the ro-cmplov-nienf of such persons under; Section 3 of :- ,- the'' Civil Service Act; -ISOB, they are naturally reluctant, even wliwe a genuine grievance exists, to enter their protests, pr no' publicly stato' their; cases. Nor . U.it altogether necessary that they should thvjo; Tho Government, ty- its failure ,; ( to-furnish tho fullest' information pos: ' ,-.;• - eible'on tho subject, .practically confirms thb idea that tne retrenchment scheme, .-, : .-'mtiated two years auo,: was allowed to V-- -.'..- '"XMly operate against men in ' the -.- . , ilubhc. tcrvico. who"were suspected,' on . ..: .aorei.or lew trivial uronrnU, of sym- ;;/ .jathising with .-the', Opposition partv. '.-.'•' And'the writer has no hesitation in say- ' ■ .jitig" that such cases have recurred, and ■--~: ~. I hat distinctions were' rnkde, under the .'■". ~ rearrangement of offices and positions .'•-.-..-.■-. rhftt teolt pheo in t'onnectian with thaf .','.'•'/ ',; Tftrcnchment scheme, because men who '■•*.' had ,been in. the-servico for vears were V cashiered at- very short notice, whereas ■■--'.;.-■ . newer "comers were allowed to retain their '..' -.":.■ positions. .---■. -,;■>.:".' -.1.-,-- ■".■:■■■■' ;.', '•;•,.;■■'.■ .'Hampering the Populsr Will. • -" ' 'There aro ohvlous reasons why the e-lec- :,': tors, should retain tho jiower to discipline '■>■'.'-, ■•• the men whom they elect to take charge •':-',3 of their uublie. affairs. If any :consideri".-.-.'. able section of the electors is placed in such ' a nosition that it :'s practically '- ; ; compelled to cast a block vote for one" 'J' l ., particular party, it. becomes all the moro difficult to enforce the disciplinary pro- : ce«s,' where that party is concerned. And this is moro particularly the case where ■i;'•.-, : such" section of electors consists of State employees; because., although their em- :■■■:<■< nloyinent ami pavment are nlikc, provided ... : > ■ by the public, their votes may be used v..'- 1 " to defeat the willies of their employers ■:'<.! —the people. .Where. n« in this country, one person in seven is directly dependent .:.. upon the State for his nr her employj ment, and meani of livelihood, all sorts V" nf unholy bargains are possible between ;.'■•■:'. politicians and State, employees. An ont- .-, ( . finding feature of the legislation of the ; : last ttvr years i« tho attention that has ■V b*en paid by Ministors to the claims of : \ Civil Servant', who have received much ,'i greater con'ideratinn than'has been extended to the general public. The average man. who has to take life in tho rough, is not nearly so well provided,

or cared, for, as are tho members of tho Civil Service and Stato employees generally. Ministers not only ducourago Civil Servants from exercising freedom of thought and action, in political matters, but directly'pander to tho Stato employees' vote.. Tho writer has no dosiro to argue that those who aro employed by tho Stato receive', higher salaries, or greater advantages than they arp entitled to for the services expected of them, providod such servicos arc faithfully porfonncd.' But, what he does contend is that, by reason of its relationship to tho people,, the servico should bo made nonpolitical, and that bounds should bo sot by the State, beyond which .Ministers should not bo. allowed to go in their desiro to sccuro support for themselves. It is'generally conceded that other things boing equal Government employees havo the advantage over tho avorngo man, hence tho desiro on the part of so many to securo n Government ■■ billet. That being tho case, Stato omplqyccs should'not bo placed in that position in which they arc enabled, by tlioir block vote, to defeat tho intentions and wishes of tho averago voter, who possibly desires to sce'tho party in office replaced by its opoononts. To the writer's knowledge, Stato employees' repeatedly uso their positions to further tho interests of Government candidates at tho elections. . Prior ■ to. tho 1908 election ho was shown a big.batoll of letters received by ono such candidate, from men in tho Government service, and, who wcro employed in the constituency ho ' was contesting, air-wishing tho-candidate success; and in almost every instanco promising to* exert themselves on his behalf. Ministers' may, of course, disclaim responsibility for this sort of thing,' but thero is good reason to believe tho enso is by, no means ; ; a ,'solitary one. Even amongst the co-operative workers, employed on the. railways and other works, the idea is sedulously encouraged, that it is tho. duty oMhomcri so employed to Vote'for'the men who support tho Government (that is, the particular set of individuals holding !ofhce), that it is claimed has given them employment. And, from n'mistaken notion of tho nature of tho obligation thus entailed, or alleged to -have 'boon' conferred upon them by particular; individuals; as also from the failure to recogniso that it is the.people who aro their, actual employers, tho co-operative workers allow themselves to be persuaded-that it is the correct thing to,vote for tho Ministry of tho day, and nossibly, therefore, against the men who aro anxious to introduco much-, needed reforms into tho administration of the country's affairs. > .' Against the Public Interest.: Tho subject is by no means a palatable ono to handle. But it is necessary to the correct understanding of tho present position in our.political :existence -that thero should bo n. frank' recognition of tho'.'darfiors that nro hemming tho democracy around, and that threaten to eventually overwhelm and destroy: its political freedom. ,At present in quilo a number of matters whero tho last word should rest with: Parliament and tho people, Ministers have so far.tisurped the position that bolh aro powerless to Assert tho authority that, should be theirs. And,, as,long as Ministers arc' permitted to exorciso their: powers 'of * political patronage, both in;connection with the public service and in the allocation of State and loan, moneys, so long will tho constituencies remain hobbled. Tho passing years havo brought no improvement, nor 'have they removed the possibilities of political corruption from tho machinery of administration. The Classification and Superannuation Boards appointed in 1903,' although greeted as a sten in tho right.direction at tho time, have scarcely improved matters. The Primo ■ Minister remains as the chairman of the Classification Board;: tho Attorney-General is the Chairman of :tho Superannuation "Board, and it is manifestly against ,the public. interest that \ Ministors should thus: interfere in work that properly belongs to the Departmental chiets ot tho 'public service. It is also r undesirable that they should burden themselves.with tho detailed',work of administration. The existenco o? the. boards suggests, : over, that the functions!of both could'bp better: discharged by. Public Service Comi' missioncrs,' such as aro advocated by, the Opposition, and thffti hnv*> jchargoiot \MCommonwealth Civ-F Sernce, and 1 the Civil Services of New. South Wales, Victoria, and other, of the Australian .States;-By far too much is made of the rule •of ' particular-individuals in this country;' We should do ,better toinsist, first and foremost, ■ upon- tho strict enforcement of those principles of truth, liberty, ■ and justice, without which no nation can be'truly greats'arid, in spite of all "protestations to' the contrary, wo Shall not- really ottnin that position', until the powerooff f making appointments is taken out of tho hands of tho Ministryof the day; Tho.patronage system must go. "It may be a long timo in passing, but "the electors should see to it tliat all temptations' to tho misuse of political power arc - removed from the reneh,' of party politicians. * V