A TICKET IN "TATT'S"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2783, 30 May 1916, Page 6

A TICKET IN "TATT'S"

"PUBLIC SERVICE JOURNALS COMMENT. It was recently reported that-one of the Assistant Public Service Commissioner's had visited one of the Government Departments, and, taking a ladder, had climbed to the top of a safe, and there found some money in an old cashbox and a book containing certain names, the same being a record of moneys contributed to a fund for the purchase of tickets in Tattersall'n sweeps. Respecting this action the "Public Service Journal" says:— "In our view the objectionable feature of the incident is the fact that the no. tion, whether warranted or unwarranted,' was apparently taken on information surreptitiously conveyod to the Commis sioner. Since the advent of the Commis sioner system wo have been repeatedly drilled with the instruction that the channel to the Public Service Commissioner is through tho Permanent Head. Why, then, was the supposed informer not called to account for disobeying this Instruction? If lie felt a Heaven-seut call to expose his fellow-officers the titvaightforward, honourable course was to report the matter to the Permanent Head, and it speaks little for the Commissioner's sense of. proportion that lio was not shown his true position. 'That notice was taken of information apparently received through devious channels is, to speak plainly, a direct incentive to the man of little principle (and what! body of men is without a few sprinkle'', in its midst) to play the sneak. On eral occasions we have heard rumours? that there has been spying going, on in the Service, and circumstantial evidence has sometimes been produced in snpport of tho contention. We have refused to entertain the suggestion, believing that ashonourable men tho Commissioner ami his associates, whatever their defects, would give no countenauco in any shapa or form to such a thing. We must confess, however, that this incident which' lias come to light leaves an unpleasant Kiste. Not only was the alleged action one which showed the perpetrators lob 8 utterly lacking in discretion and that sound judgment which is the first essential 1n the control of men, but. it, worsl of aiT. throws into the lurid light of dav' tho fact that they appear to have tha't narrowness of vision which seeks to proha and govern the acts of the individual a 9 welt as those of the officers."