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Hokitika Guardian, 12 June 1922, Page 2

Tub pi b.ic seivi.e in conference is still shoving a dispositon to join (lie •Alliance of Labour. While tiler can and will In- no serious objection to the public service as a whole combining among themselves foi 1 mutual benefit there must he a good deal of opposition to any alliance with such a militant force as combined labor. The public service is directly in the service of the country as a whole, and is the machinery under ihe guidance of the government for the time being working in the public welfare. That service must he as good as the needs of the country demand, and it is the obvious duy of the government in power to keep it so. The service can l>e paid no more and no less than it is worth to the country and in particular not any more than the country can afford. If the service is too costly for tile exchequer it must he cut down, either in personnel or salary, for the country cannot go on paying out more than it has. The public service is strong enough to take care of itself, ns long as the funds arc there to meet its demands, but when tlioso demands are beyond the funds available, no amount of fprop within or

without can react what is net there to take. The object of joining forces with militant labor can be only to use more pressure; to co-operate in a form of exaction which the country cannot afford to pay. Such a move can at best produce only a deadlock, and make the country less able that ever to pay even what it might he prepa:o.l to pay. Mr Clynes. Mr Gosling and other prominent labor leaders at Home have been telling their comrades some home truths about the fallacy of striking as tl.e meins to sccu:o more or to maintain present pay, when tile funds will not permit. The strikes have failed miserably and there has been unnecessary loss all round. The public service will be well adv sed to take count of what history is revealing at Home. History lias the knack of repeating itself ami '-be service will be wise indeed to- avoid Hie pitfalls which some of its busy hot beads appear to be making for it. Tx winter time particularly. Cass Square proves itself the longs of tlic municipality. The crowds gather to participate in or enjoy the games whi h are afield, and football has certainly come into great prominence. -.The Square is slowly taking oh a Mold seemly condition, tt is being eiehilrd up and greatly improved niul the citizens responsible who have banded to. getlier in the self-imposed task with the help of the Borough Council, to carry on the improvements, are to he congratulated on the promising appear* mice of the grounds. Much more re* quires to he done, and the public appreciating what is being done, will continue no doubt to assist.. There if occasion for sustained assistance, the work must go on, and it will )l< very nice indeed to see other parts oi the town improved also, and the place generally kept more and more sightly. The Beautifying Society is to make another appeal for funds on Saturday next, when the pleasant pastime oi community singing is to be utilised as a happy means for supplying more money. The effort is worthy the fullest support. XoW that alt exhibition It i lit ion is being talked of in Hokitika there is all the more reason to continue the work of beautifying as intensivelj as funds will permit. The citizens a a whole will not regret the exp"n i tore, iior greatly miss what they tribute in a voluntary way. Tt is real ly tile best way of all to do the worl to help themselves from their owl pockets and where all contribute a litth the sacrifice of any need not he exces sive. With Cass Square soon to he tin home for important memorials, then is all the nlore need to push on Witt the embellishment of the grounds, anc it is not likely funds will he stinted oi that account