Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JULY 8th, 1920. WEAKNESS OF GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JULY Bth, 1920. WEAKNESS OF GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT.

In taking leave of official life at Wash, ijigton, the Hon. E. Lane, after seven years in tile President’s Cabinet as Secretary of the Interior, following a somewhat larger experience upon the Interstate Commerce Commission, closed a very interesting review of his administration of the Interjop Department with a few pertinent and instructive comments upon ,the official life, and governmental activities. They are specially pertinent at this time, when so many people of comparatively little practical experience in nffajrs themselves arc strongly inclined to enlarge the official functions by having th.e Government embark upon industrial activities. 'Hint part of his statement is as follows: “And now In parting, let me say a general word ns the fruit of my experience here. Washington ! s a combination of political caucus, drawing room and civil service bureaus. It [contains statesmen who are politicians and politicians who are not statesmen. It is Hell' in brains and ; n character. It is honest beyond any commercial standard. It wishes to d? everything that will promote the public good. But it is poorly organised for j the task that belongs to it. Fewer i men of larger capacity would do the task better. Ability is not lacking but it is pressed to the point of paralysis because of an infinitude of details and ajj unwillingness on .the part of the great l>ody of public servants .to take responsibility. Everyone seymf .to be afraid of everyone. » -The self-protec-tive sense is developed abnormally, jthe creative sense ajtrpphips. 'fYusjfc, confidence, enthusiasm—these simple yjrtues of Jill great business are the ones most lacking in Government orgatjjsation. We have many checks and brakes upon our work that our progress does not keep pace with the nation’s requirements. We could save

money fo£, the Government if we had more discretion as to liow we should use that given us. ,For the body >f tlie civil servants thgrv .should be quicker promotion or discharge a,yd a sure insurance when disability comes. For the higher administrative officer,?, there should be salaries twice as high as those now given and they should he made to feel that they are the ones responsible for the work of the department the head being merely an adviser Vi, and a constructor of policies. As matters are now devised there are too few in tlie .Government whose business it is to plan. Every man is t.o details, to the narrower view, which conics too often to be the department view or* some sort of parochial view. We need for the day that is here and upon us men who have lfttle to do but study the problems of the time and test their capacity at meeting thorn, In a word wo need, more opportunity for planning, (engineering, (statesmanship above, and more fixed authority and responsibility below.’* Secretary Lane lias named some of the weaknesses ni government administration, although not all. He could tell also of the want of co-ordination between the Executive and the Legislative Departments, and tlie want of continuity of policies by reason of changes in the personnel of the Congress and of the Departments, but he has said enough to suggest the inherent weakness of governmental management. Tlie idea of having the Government take over the important industries of the country can find lodgment only in minds of people who conceive of the industries as . merely repeating a routine of operations instead of changing constantly under the stimulating influence of vigorous, ambitious, progressive, life.

The recent deputation representing the timber workers union which waited on three Ministers of the Crown took up a peculiar attitude in regard to development work at Okarito, where a considerable enterprise is to by launched in the expansion of trade and industry. One of the member's of the deputation spoke of the warden “being induced” to grant certain rights to a syndicate. There is a ring of insinuation about this jibe, and apparently not one of the Ministers took exception to one. of our Magistrate’s being so held up. The Warden is limited by the law, and lie grants rights according to the statute. If he errs there is power to appeal, or if the grants made are not operated according to the law, then the rights may be can. celled. There is not any false position about this, and public interests aVe well safeguarded. The labor representatives made a serious attack on their best friend—capital; for without capital it will be impossible to open such a venture as the Okarito milling proposition. By opening it up and establishing the industry there will be more outlet for labour. From the labour point of view wo should have thought that the wider the field of occupation the better it would be for the workmen. This country needs production and more production, and because there is a proposal to launch out, the Labour authorities would seek to spoke the wheels of progress. In particular the Okarito district needs opening up. It is a tract of country isolated and in need of better communication. A timber enterprise, as is proposed, means a shipping movement, and that means an outlet for the district. The transit difficulties in South Westland are such that the only products which can be got out with reasonable certainty at all times, are those which can walk out. By opening the port to regular shipping, a boon will be afforded the South country, which will lift it ahead enormously. Doubtless the people who have pioneered the district and know to their cost the diffi_ cutties which have retarded tin* place will hardly appreciate the remarks of a deputation, who are far" from conversant with the facts under which the district now struggles.

Tun effort to establish a branch of the Canterbury Progress League here is taking shape at last. For some reason the League itself has moved very leisurely with the request for affiiliation, and although some three or four months have gone by the parent body lias still failed to supply the information requisite to establish a local branch. The people, however, are prepared to go on, and members are bein', enrolled, while local bodies are co-operating also. There is much that can be done to assist with local affairs, and it is to be hoped that the branch, will be in good working order ere the Canterbury visitors come this way to inspect the country, ft becomes more and more apparent that the gifts from the rich man’s table do not come this‘‘■way except by asking, and the more influential the representations tile better the result. Allied with Canterbury, Westland influence will be greatly augmented and the result should be all for the betterment of the Coast.