WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

POLITICAL RIGHTS. RAILWAY MEN’S PROTEST. (Our Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON, Sept. 27. It seems from a motion adopted by the Thorndon branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants yesterday that the Prime Minister was scarcely speaking by the book when he fissured the House of Representatives a few days ago that there was no occasion for Mr Wilford’s demand, for the concession of full civil and political rights to Civil Servants. The members of the Thorndon branch declare that the rule railwaymen have to observe is that under pain of dismissal they must take no active part in politics beyond recording their votes. The Chairman of Committees appears to 'have been no better informed than the Prime Minister was up on the point, he having given as a reason for recording his casting vote against Mr Wilford’s demand his “understanding” that the men already had the rights the leader of the Opposition was seeking for them,

THE ACTUAL POSITION. / It does not follow, of course", that Mr Massey deliberately sought to mislead the House. This question of the political rights of Civil Servants had been before Parliament many times before. Mr Ballance, Mr Seddon, Sir Joseph Ward and Mr Massey himself all had done something to lighten the restrictions placed upon Government employees in this respect. By comparison with the rules and regulations enforced years ago the present system may have appeared to the Prime Minister as absolute freedom. But as a matter of fact it is freedom enjoyed by the grace of the Minister in charge of the particular Department concerned, and this is no longer sufficient to satisfy the liberty loving Civil Servant. Whether or not it be good for himself and for the public service is a question which admits of opinion.

MR MASSEY’S CHIEF ASSET. Members of the House of Reps, had- a “night out” so to speak, on Friday when, exercising the ancient privileges of Parliament, they made the introduction of the usual monthly Imprest Supply Bill an excuse for talking upon every subject under the sun for the space of eight or nine hours. At one stage Mr Massey in eulogising the Chairman of the Duller County Council said he would like to see this gentleman in the House, but he hastened to add, not at the expense of any of the sitting members. “Not even the member for Btiller?” one of the humorists of the House inquired. “Not even the member for Buffer,” the Minister answered with admirable gravity. “I should think not. He’s the best asset you have in the House,” Mr Masters rapped out, and the occupants of the Liberal benches marked their ready occurrence with the judgment of the young man from Stafford.

THE REFORMED COUNCIL

Though no one can doubt the sincerity of Sir Francis Bell in declaring lie will be no party to the killing of the Legslative Council Act, which provides for the application of the elective principle under the system of proportional representation to the Upper House, it is an open secret that several of his colleagues are very far from being keen in their support of the measure. Sir Francis has a knack of getting his own way in the Cabinet, and hp probably will manage to do so in the present instance, but it is not unlikely the Act will be amended in some particulars before it becomes actively operative. A simpler method of counting the votes and some measure of representation fori the Government of the day in the Conn-' cil are two changes that have been foreshadowed.