PLEDGE-KEEPERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1570, 14 October 1912, Page 4

PLEDGE-KEEPERS.

The change of Government in New Zealand has not provoked very much comment in England, but hero and there a few lines have been devoted to the possibilities of the situation. Generally speaking it appears to have been taken for granted that tho ousting of the Continuous Ministry would bo followed by a period , of government very similar to that which had existed for so many years, save only that administrative reforms had been promised. The Manchester Guardian, for instance, stated that it was not able to find very many or substantial differences of principle dividing tho new Government from the old. It realised, however, that the great difference was in administration. Curiously enough, considering the position of the Public Service Bill at tho present moment, in discussing tliia phase of the position, the Guardian selected the question of freeing the Civil Service from political control as a test of the bona fides of the professions of the Government. That question, it stated, "will furnish a pretty severe test of tho Government, for a party which has for years seen the 'spoils' system maintained for the advantago of its opponents must find it hard to resist the influences which will demand the reward of its continuance when opposition is once exchanged for office." This frank expectation, on the part of a deeply experienced observer of politics, that the new Government would evade the carrying-out of their promise of Civil Service reform, will perhaps hardly occasion surprise. For a distant observer could hardly have been expected to realise that-'the reform voters made up a party with a soul and with convictions. That the Bill promoted by Mit. Herdjun for establishing Civil Service reform has already passed the House' will in duo course, perhaps, bo noted by tlio Guardian as a proof disinter-

eslodness and fidelity can still bo carried by some parties out of Opposition into office. We have not the least doubt that the present Opposi- ■ on ® x Pccfced that the Reform party in office would be as bad as thcraselvosj» and that, once in power, | 'would not be so foolish as to break up and throw away, for such a whim ! as the public good, tho old "Spoils" weapons that they might have used tor their, own personal and party ends. "They will not do it: wait and see. They talked about reform, but they will drop all their talk now they are in office." That represents the private thoughts of the old spoils party when the Reform Government, came in; and it is doubtless W no small measure because the Government is going ahead with its pledged programme that the Oppositionists are angry and dismayed. J.hey did not expect it; they do not li.ice it; and tlicy are cutting a poor figure in their attempt to fight the, to them, outrageous opponent who is actually proceeding to do what he undertook to do.