The Dominion. MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1912. LESSONS FROM AMERICA.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1343, 22 January 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 1912. LESSONS FROM AMERICA.

The cable service gave New Zea land very little of the long Messagi which President Taft transmitte< to the United States Congress 01 December 21. -Yet-- what the Nev York Evai'inff I'osl described as th most, advanced and significant posi tion taken by the President in tlii particular document (which incliul ed several progressive proposals) i of special interest to this country The reference is to the followin] paragraph: — I wish to renew asjain my recommendation that all the local officers throughout tlio countrj-, including collectors of internal revenue, collectors of customs, postmasters of all four classes, immigration commissioners, and marshals should be by lav; covered in the classified service, the necessity for confirmation by the Senate be Temoved, and the President and the others whose timo is now taken up in distributing this, patrjnnge under the custom that has prevailed since the beginning of the Government, in accordance with the recommendation of the Senators and Congressmen of the majority party, should bo relieved of this burden. I am confident that such- a chango would greatly reduco the oost of administering the Government, am! that it would add greatly to its efficiency. It would take away the power to use the patronage of the Government for political purposes. When officers are recommended by Senator? aad Congressmen for political motives and for political services, it is impossible to expect that while in office the appointees will not regard their tenure as more or less dependent upon continued political service for their patrons, and no regulations, however stiff or rigid, will prevent this, because such regulation*, in view of the method and motive for selection, are plainly inconsistent and deemed hardly worthy of respect. We have in New Zealand these very same evils. The scale here is not so large; that is the main difference. Our politicians could tell of the time taken up in distributing the patronage in accordance .with the recommendations of members of the majority party. The change which our coming Reform Government hopes to bring about, like the step proposed by President Taft, woujtl greatly reduce the cost of administration and add greatly to its efficiency. It would make it. impossible to use Government patronage for political purposes. And human nature in New Zealand is so much like human nature in America, and everywhere else, that officials appointed to 1 our public service for political motives and for political services rendered are certain to regard their tenure as more or less dependent upon continued political service'for their patrons. The general election last month showed that Civil Service reform has become popular in this country. The careers of men like Roosevelt, Taft, Hughes, and Wcormow Wii> son show that it has been popular during the last ten years in America. And this Message of President Taft, coming at the outset of the great election campaign in which he will be a candidate,, is evidence that he believes it is popular still. "The President's plan," says the New York ]'osl, "is the most sweeping ever urged by an American Executive." On the very day of the Presidential Message this portion of it was paralleled by a letter which Mn. Gaynor, the reforming Mayor of New York, sent to heads of municipal departments: At the beginning of the present administration of the city government, I made it a matter of executive policy that all nppointmcnls and promotions in the Departments of Police and Fire should be made in numerical order from the eligible lists. The object of this has been fully accomplished. I now desire to apply (he same policy to all of the twenty-six departments and bureaux which are under the Mayor. Several (if you. including the heads of the Departments of Docks. Tenement Houses, Licenses, and Corrections, have already adopted it voluntarily, as I am informed. Let it go into effect on January 1. If any of von think otherwise, please confeT with me". I have full confidence ill you all, but we have to look to the future. It behoves' the honest man in office to make good precedents, and no bad ones, for hi.s dishonest successor who comes along sooner or Inter. Tf we can establish t-T-iiq general policy 60 firmly that it will

have to ho followed by those who come nfter lis, the possibility of favouritism and corruption in appointments and promotions is at nil end permanently. Fortunately, whatever of personal favouritism there may have been in New Zealand municipalities, there has been no system of political patronage, so far as that branch of our public affairs is concerned. It is from the national point of view that the example of New York is interesting to New Zealanders. The city contains five times as many people as this 'Dominion, more than 40 per cent, of them are foreign born, ana immigrants are swarming in every day from_ the ends of the earth. Tammanyism has been swept out, and the city is incalculably the better for the change. The evil, of smaller scope, less intensity, but the same nature, which afflictsNcw Zealand's national administration can be destroyed by the same methods, which have cjeansed New York. The Municipal Civil Service Commission of New York, which controls more than 55,000 public officers and employees, lias nude it almost impossible to bestow public employment as a political or personal gift. Competitive written examination is the only door to the service. Promotion examinations are held at intervals, and the results of these arc given equal weight with the "efficiency records" kept by the departmental heads. These records show the kind and quality of the. work done by each member of the staff and his standing as to conduct, punctuality, and length of service. The names are listed accordingly, and promotions are made from the lists in strict numerical order. As a result of the merit system, as it is called, every official or employee can do his work without fear or hope of any influence from the politicians outside. He knows that according to the measure of his ability, energy, and faithfulness he will be advanced in the service. Hence all ranks are animated by the same honourable anibition. The men, instead of trying to see which can make himself most acceptable to a political boss, are striving to do their work better and better. The spirit of self-improvement is abroad in the service, and it has bccome an attractive career. Looking forward to the adoption of a similar system in the New Zealand Government service, we cannot forbear to . draw from the Amcricap experience two warnings ns to the conditions of success. First, it is essential to have the right men as commissioners. AVhilo New York City has been fortunate—or, more probably, wise—in this respect, the Covernor of the adjacent State has_ appointed as President of Commission a strong partisan, under whom the "spoils system" has again crept in. Tho other lesson is that the public must not suppose that their part in the . matter ends when they have set up a_ Government pledged to Civil Servicc reform. They must watch, and keep on watching. The right sort of commissioner will be glad to profit • by their criticisms. Mn. James Cjieel.man, the President of the New York Municipal Civil Service Commission, acknowledged the other day in the most grateful terms the assistance given by a voluntary association, the National Civil Servicc j Reform League, in calling attention [ fo abuses in which the' Commission i itself had participated. Those who have promised Civil Service reform 3 in New Zealand will keep their - promise, but the electors who have 3 asked for it must see that they get - it in its best form.