WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 25, 1912.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 25 September 1912, Page 2

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 25, 1912.

THE DEFENCE OF THE DOMINION. THE House has shown the strength of the objection to the compulsory clauses by a vote of 60 against 5. Perhaps the best showing of the discussion which consumed so much of the time of Friday night was the demonstration by Mr Veitch of the sane understanding of the defence question by the better party of Labour which he so well represents. The next good point of the sham fight of Friday was the proof from ministers and ex-min-isters that the cost of the scheme is not going to be more than £400,----000 a year, instead of the £800,000 of the timid party's sad dream. A third is the blowing into fragments of the motor mare's nest. It has been diligently circulated that the icers have been lavish of the use of motor cars, especially at race times, at the public expense. One instance alleged was General Godley's little bill for £40 for a car employed really on a shooting excursion with a gentleman farmer friend north of Auckland. But it was shown by the minister that he had not used a motor car for any purpose, shooting, or training, or inspection. In the matter' of salaries it was shown that the sums paid to the imported officers are actually less than the rate of pay in the Home service, and/juite fair when compared with the salaries of the higher civil servants here. On the whole the defence minister had a time with his estimates on Friday night, but he has reason to rejoice that he triumphed all along the line. The question was not treated as a party question, and the system is therefore going to stand.

CIVIL SERVICE BILL. We regret that the measure introduced by the Minister of Justice shows signs of considerable want of consideration. So much must be evident from the fact to meet the protest of the men of the Post and Telegraph department, several pages carrying over forty amendments were brought down actually during the passage of the Bill through committee. It is no wonder the passage was delayed so that the Bill still remains in committee at the end of the week. This tremendous dose of amendments does not encourage the belief that the measure received adequate consideration. The main point for consideration outside of the subject of sufficient preparation, is the question of principle. The democratic principal is that the representatives of the people, who are governing for the people should be under the immediate review of the people, through their representatives in Par~ liament. It is true that the exercise of the incidental patronage has not always been as it ought to be. Between these two linos the Civil Service Commission suggested a safe way. namely that the management of the service should be under a board under the general control of the Government. Now it is difficult to say whether this bill will give the Government control or transfer all power to the commissioner subject to the vote of Parliament in case of wrong doing. The Bill professes to abolish the interference of the Government altogether; while making over sixty mentions of the " Go vernor-in-Council'' — that bugbear so denounced when poor Mr Fowlds' Town Planning Bill was brought dowu in 1911, which, in fact, drove the redoubtable Fowlds off the field in a fit of petulant panic, eventually to wreck the Government of the day by a sensational leap overboard, which the Labour party followed at the election with unexpected unanimity. Moreover the difficulty of getting any vote of censure on a commissioner being proverbial, the control of the Htmse over the Commissioner leaves something to be desired, in the event of the doubt as to the control being dissipated. Again the Minister made great store by including the postaL people, but brought down the above amendments for the purpose uf reducing their admission to practically nothing. On the whole we do not wonder that the Bill was strongly resisted and not strongly defended. Much is made on the government side out of aigurnent used by tlio other side that the measure is against the wishes of the Civil Servants Now we do not give weight t.o the wishes of the service. But on the other haad we do not regard the government plea of ■'' seething discontent " of the service against the present system as one bit more con* elusive or one whit mere legitimate. The Bill, however, being bound to pass wo can only hope that the good things expected by its friends may prove the correctness of the expectation.

THE interest taken in the Town Board Election last week subsided after' the cleTOWN claration of the poll BOARD and the town has been somewhat dull after the unusual excitement caused by this event. The ticket of four, (Messrs Becroft, McLeod, Wilson and Hand) run by the Ratepayers Association were all elected, while Mr James Stewart of the opposition ticket (Messrs Stewart, Cameron and Meinhold) was the only one to get a place, Mr Cameron being beaten by Mr J. McLeod for fifth place by

three votes; Dr Meinhold also did well on his first attempt for Town honours; Messrs Megson and Rimmer not being connected in any way with either ticket were the other two left out. Mr J. Hand, the new member, who takes the seat held by Mr Hammond, came third on the list.

There is to be a special meeting of the Town Board to-morrow afternoon at 2.30 for the purpose of electing a chairman for the term, and some speculating is taking place as to who is going to take the chair. That the present Board has to face a big question in deciding the fate of the Hot Springs Domain, goes with, the strong opinions expressed by the ratepayers generally; there are a number at present who are averse to parting with their only Domain, while on the other hand a number think it would be to the interest of the district if the Tourist Department took charge. We opine that the matter should be fully discussed and decided by a poll of the people being taken.

The water and drainage works are progressing favourably, but there are several important matters connected therewith that will have to be settled in the near future. The lighting question is also urgent and should be one of the.first progressives moves considered by the incoming Board, and this we believe could be satisfactorily settled for some years at least by the Board taking advantage of the offers of those having Acetylene Gas plants to supply lights opposite their premises at a small reimbursement. With these matters in hand and the general business of the town the new Board have plenty .to commence with.