The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY WEDNESDAY, MAY 31. 1911. PURER POLITTCS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 May 1911, Page 2

The Chronicle. PUBLISHED DAILY WEDNESDAY, MAY 31. 1911. PURER POLITTCS.

Mr Massuy, as leader of the Opposition, in the New Zealand Parliament, takes an undisguised stand (in regard to public appointments) that bodes ill for the future should ho succeed in persuading the electors to return a majority of his party to power. He stands self-confessed to be, as 'barefaced and as persistent a- pursuer of Ministers, to gain benefits for his constituents and constituency, as here and there an odd Government supporter is; and 1 he seems quite unashamed of his weakness- not to apply to it a- harsher name, ft" matters in regard to public appointments and to Civil Service promotion are one half as had as Mr Massey and various other members of the Opposition would have us believe, the obvious duty of those members is to fight continually to put down these nibuses, and to set their faces steadfastly against any participation" in a system of unjust discriminations. It is >all very well for the Leader of the Opposition and his three lieutenants to hammer away on their themes regarding the enormity of such practices, and to wax virtuously indignant against ill-deserved promotions which they indicate with more or less exactitude, but we fear they will effect' little or no lasting good until as a party, and likewise individually, they dissociate themselves from participation in the procedures that they condemn so unsparingly. To our mind there scarcely could be a more depressing political sidelight than that which was cast by Mr Massey himself at his politic-nil meeting in Oamaru last week. The Leader of the Opposition, on that occasion, unbln&hingly admitted that he himself used political influence to secure appointments. We have no intention of misrepresenting or distorting Mr Massey's views in any degree, and we repiiblish herewith' the whole of his remarks upon the point. His words, reported by the Oainaru Ma.il, are as follows: —

"He advocated a Public Service Hoard. Mr Millar had quoted him as saying that !)0 per cent, of the appointments to the pnlblie service were made through political influence. The State was entitled to the be«t brains in tlie Dominion, and while be did not in any way rpflrct on the ability of the_ present public servants, he claimed that the excellence of the Public Service was not because of the system of appointment, but in spite of it. He had to admit that everyone used political influenceto secure appointments; he did it himself; he had to if he desired, tliat the young men 'and young girls of his electorate should share in the appointments. That was not the way things were done in Australia, in Canada, or in England. In all those places there were Boards or Commissions whoso duty it was to select the very best. iSfcw Zealand boasted of her progress, but she was not in the van in that respect. M,r Massey read a speech by ilr Neherny, President of the Auckland Liberal Federation, quoting the success of members of thnt League in tho Government ser-" vice, mentioning Mi- Giles, Dr. M'Arth'iii-j J'lidgo tteeres, tho Hon. Mr Beehan, and others who had graduated through the .Federation into the Government service'. There were people in the Dominion ■as well qualified for positions in the .Government service as those

that filled those positions, who, from lack of political /influence, had no chance of entering the service. There was nothing inconsistent, Mr Massey claimed, in .asking for a Fu'blic Service Board while he was opposed to Railway Commissioners. What lie wanted was an independent Board or individual empowered to make aippointments' 'Wiiihout interference. Mr Millar had asked what the policy of the Opposition was; lie Mr Massey, has often asked the same query of the Government without receiving any reply. It appeared l to him that the Government's progress was progress into debt, into increased taxation, and into objectionable/ methods; not tiio kind of .progress that would 1 make us respected among the na- , tions of the earth."

-Wβ.repeat ilier©,, advisedly/-. Sainformer? statement-- ffiiA-J in^his:-\m%

blushing admission by the Leader of ih& Opposition that he resorts to the use of what he himself had termed improper political influence, to forward the interests of young men 'and young women in his electorate — wo see one of tlve worst omens for this country's "future conditions should Mr Massoy over win to political power: "What would any sane observer deduce from Mr Massey's confessed standpoint to-day as to tire prolbahle stand lie would take should he become head of the Government? This newspaper does not believe tlwit the. New Zealand Civil Service is in anything like the sad' state that !le Opposition Party would ha.ve is believe it to be. But if we did i>oliove it to he so, and if believing so wo occupied any position in the Opposition ranks, we would dissociate ourselves unreservedly and continuously and vociferously from anv overt or covert participation in the processes now complained about. Mr Massey stands stultified in rns

contentions, whichever way they a."e viewed. If there, is no disrri n*nation, why,does bo protest so nviica? and if discrimination against Oppositionists "is" exercised, us : k> niirl his supporters say it is, ivlmt ran it avail Mr to use his political (Opposition) influence in the* way that admittedly lie (loos? The. fact of the matter is that Mr Ma*soy is a horn log-roller and ;inte-m>ni whoodler whose coaxing niatriovs liave extracted' favourable ler/lifs from more than one. Cam net Mi'iister; and possibly 'he is nfrai<l that if he does not openly admit his characteristics and praeti.-.:? so:i.ebotly may make them obv.ou-s '.vitiiout consulting him,