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Hokitika Guardian, 17 April 1924, Page 2

Whatever the outcome of the threats of a strike on the part of certain classes of the public service, at this juncture, the time is at hand certainly when the position should he made perfectly clear that the country is not going to he at the mercy of any section of its employees. By that we mean that the public services are not to stand in jeopardy at the will of any small executive of tlie men employed who may dislocate the whole countryside, and bring hardship and loss upon the innocent. Apparently it needs men of the Mussolini stamp to grapple with the spirit of the times; but surely the Government has backbone enough, first, to do the right thing bv its employees consistent with State interests; and secondly having done that, stand by the peoples' interests and see the public service effectively maintained. The public service in this country lias grown into an enormous machine, and it would appear from latest happenings tTlat it is the service of employees which is to direct the administration of the country, and not the parliamentary executive of the people as a whole elected and entrusted with that duty. A\ bile ti.o employees may justly claim to have certain rights, by no manner of means can their rights he held to he superior to the people who constitute their employers. The Government’s duty is to the, people, and in serving the people the Government has the obligation to see that the employees of the people are fairly treated. If the latter do not think they are, such an extreme step as a strike anti the dislocation of trade, commerce and intercourse, and the enormous loss which would he put upon the people, individually and collectively, is no excuse whatever. It

would be a. step to ensure the alienation of public sympathy and a serious reversal of public policy which in the end would be unpleasantly surprising to many of those at present comfortably placed in the public service. This mania to strike may he an off-shoot of modorn democracy as some folk, so regard it, but if so the malcontents are going the right way to set. hack true democratic rule.

Whatever rule m authority theie is, takes its power and effect from its ability to maintain order. This is so whether it he autocratic or democratic. The moment the ruling power loses its ability to control as its guiding head or heads propose, that moment authority breaks down. And it in the present instance a strike of employees is to delthe decision of those in authority, then we can consider the country is ''oil the road to chaotic rule. It remains therefore for the Government to do its duty

’airly and firmly. The Government has :o consider both sides of the question,

ami having reached a decision on equitable lines, the bulk of public opinion will support- the decision and help to maintain law and order constitutionally. If that cannot be done, then our boasted liberty and freedom is a thing, of the past, and democratic rule is superseded by mob law. The situation calls for serious consideration on the part of all living in this land. The country is at a crisis when through the medium of the people as a whole it must he decided who is to rule and how they are to rule. If constitutionally then strikes become illegal, and should not he tolerated. If otherwise, then it is a plain intimation that the authority of the country broken down, and the straight forward government of the country lias lieen subverted. It

is for public opinion to express itself in- unmistakable terms, should a public service strike overtake the country. If that comes to pass, the Government will be expected to be firm and resolute and take any measures necessary to maintain the public services so essential to the public weal. To do any

less is to betray the people, and to bring into contempt the whole system of democratic government. As the matters stand there is perhaps not great cause for alarm, hut unless firmly grappled with the danger is there, and the loss and turmoil of it all will fall on the people as a whole and not on any small section of the community.