WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES

“ACTING PRIME MINISTER

WHAT’S IN A NAME. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 14 For lack of something better to do, the out-of-work politicians here have been discussing the designation of Mr .Massey’s nominated locum tenons, Sir Francis Dillon Bell. It is the practice to talk and write of Sir Francis as the Acting Prime Minister and to endow him with all the prestige, responsibility and privilege of his absent chief : but as a matter of fact he is not Acting Prime Minister at all, and enjoys no more real authority than does any other member of the Cabinet. There can he only one Prime .Minister at a time, and he is appointed by the representative of the Crown, the Gover-nor-General. without any authority to delegate the powers of his high office to -anyone else. AVhat .Mr .Massey really has done is to nominate Sir Francis as chairman of the Cabinet with precisely Lite same voting power as is possessed by every other member of the Ministry. The Dominion's representative at, the Imperial Conference remains the Prime Minister and while this is the case none of his col-

leagues can usurp any one of hi constitutional prerogatives. “REVOLUTIONARY.”

The ‘'Evening Post” affects to lie gravely concerned bv the demand of Mr M. .1. Savage, one of the most harmless of the Auckland Labour members, for a revolutionary change in the administration of the affairs of the country. “Mr Savage admits,” it ■says, in a critical analysis of the member’s words, “that the change would bo revolutionary. Moreover, he has the hope of that change being made at an early date. A general election next year is, lie says, not at all unlikely. If this he true. . . it is incumbent upon the Reform and Liberal Parties to put their divided house in order. Only by doing so can they ensure that progress shall ho maintained by orderly evolution and not disturbing revolutionary changes.” All tiiis, of course, is apiece with the appeals that are being made everywhere for n coalition between the Reformers and the Liberals to save the country from Lite desecrating hands of Revolutionary Socialism ; hut really it is

more likely to encourage Mr Savage and his friends in their extravagant talk than it is to restrain them. They must often laugh up their sleeves tit the consternation they arc creating. THE SOCIALISTIC AGE.

As a matter of plain fact the Reform and Ihe Liberal Parties so far front co-operating in opposition to the Labour Party are vicing with one another in their efforts to conciliate Mr Savage and his friends. As Mr Holland, the leader of the party, frankly admitted in the House of Represents-

fives when the Dairy Produce Control Dill was making its hurried way on to the Statute Hook, he liked neither of tin' older parties, but he realised they both were eoquettin" with the socialistic elements in the country for the good of their party souls. In the Dairy Dill, the Labour members saw a substantial concession to the articles of their faith—the nationalisation of the weans of production, distribution and exchange—and, doubtless, in the hope that one day they would havL the administration of iho measure, they gave it. tlieir unanimous and hearty support. The Liberals, though I

I loud in their protestations of opposition to the compulsory clauses of the Bill, were put oil' hy a promise of a referomlum and so Labour got its way with the implied approbation of both the oilier parlies. MORK RKVOT.T'TTON. Another manifestation of the revolutionary tendencies that are abroad is furnished by the recent changes in the staffing of the Post and Telegraph Department. For this a no less orthodox person than the Postmaster-ften-eral is responsihle. Since the very beginning of its existence the Civil Service has been hampered and weakened lie the continuance of Llie old Iradi-

tion of promotion by seniority. Tlio appointment of a Civil Servin' Commissioner, intended to do away with political patronage, did nothing to lesson this evil. I t was liy Iho increase of years and not by the arquisitimi of efficiency that public servants mounted the ladder leading to the greater responsibilities and the higher salaries, lint the Hon J. C. Coates has dared in make a beginning with a hotter system. In the appointment of a .Secretary of the Post Office, a first assistant and a second assistant, he lias chosen capable young men, only just into their forties, who have won their way to the front by conspicuous ability and meritorious work. This is revolution, but it is revolution of the right kind and a service to the country for which the Minister may be forgiven much.