THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1931, Page 8

THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS

THE PUBLIC SERVANTS’ POSITION (Public Service Journal).

The fact that in the Public Service which the Association represents it is well nigh 'universally recognized that employees of the State are obliged by the very nature of their duties to refrain from active participation in politics, compels commendation* Net onlv should Public Servants so remain aloof, but they must needs abstain from even an expression • or suggestion of partisanship, and discharge whatever duties the policy of nny given political party, which may at the moment govern the country, imposes, without regard to the personal and private views for which they haw but one method of silent expression in the ballot box.

The mental discipline thus enforced may not infrequently be severe to a Public Servant of strong convictions, particularly when he is smarting under a igense of the treatment of a Government which is facing the electors and accounting for its actions. Nevertheless, he derives compensation is more than one way. He is preserved, for instance, from the uneasiness and unrest which permeates services under political control in other lands, where “colour” is often fho prime qualification for appointment, promotion—and dismissal, and it enables Ministers of successive Governments, and their Departmental officers too, to approach each other in a spirit of mutual confidence without which the highest type of Public Service would he difficult if not impossible. What wonder, then, in the fact that the Association, the official organization of the Public Service, has rigidly refrained from dabbling In party politics, whatever temptations our treatment at the hand's of an existing Government may have created. To our minds, the wisdom of the course stands out with startling clarity even at this moment whop the Service is sore beset. To-day, therefore, on the ■eve of the General Election, we can only counsel our members to exercise their vote in the manner their best judgment dictates in the interests «i New Zealand.

QUESTIONS TO PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES, Tt has been the practice of the Association at some Parliamentary elections to place before candidates for Parliament a questionnaire embodying paramount points affecting Future Servants with the object of the candidates disclosing their viewpoints in declaring them from the public platform. When we review previous activities in this direction, we must admit that there is but one outstanding example of success—that relating to the maintenance of non-political control. In that case, definite announcements by politicians at the hustings in support of our claims proved invaluable when later attempts were made to undermine the system, and on the eve of the 1028 General Election the late Sir J. G. Ward advised tlm Association in writing that the United Party would support its continuance. Thus, fifteen years after the institution of non-political control of the Service by the Reform party, the lead, er of the bitterest opponents of the system recognized its merits, and the Association was enabled for the time being at least, to relax its guard. To-day the system is fully accepted by almost all shades of political opinion, and it is not necessary to pur, such a question before candidates.