'AYWARD'S ERROR.

NZ Truth, Issue 74, 17 November 1906, Page 5

'AYWARD'S ERROR.

A FUNCTION THAT FAILED.

Showing How Mistaken a Mail may be m His Estimate of Himself and His Popularity.

The individual who sets m to throw bouquets at himself, and expects others, unfortunate enough to be his subordinates and who hate him like poison, to follow suit and practically clothe him m garlands of roses and laurel and say nice things ,of him when he doesn't deserve it, generally makes the biggest bloomer of his life. He deserves to be written down an ass, and is generally shown that he is not a good fellow, at least is not thought so by those under him.

There has lately been a change or two among the heads of the Government; Departments. Preferment has been given to one or two individuals possessing "a pull," and m trying to celebrate the occasion of the rise, at least m one case, the favored serservant got as strong a kick on the stern as toe seemed to merit. Like every other institution where promotion does not always come to the deserving the Civil Service, overmanned as it is, particularly m Wellington, seems to be a seething mass of •

JEALOUSY AND DISCONTENT. The heads, of course, with influence behind them, always have the pull, and do not care who sinks as long as they swim. Nevertheless, though the ordinary Civil Servant is kept under with a firm hand, he is obliged to be always humble and obsequious and ready to doff his cap to his superior, an .I if he does not, well he knows he will sooner or later be invested with the royal order of the sack. The cream of the whole joke seems to be that the heads of Departments, those of course who are deservedly unpopular, are quite blind to the real state of the' feelings of the more humble employees towards them. Outsiders, of course, know, and outsiders will talk, too. The friction and ill-will and discontent that pervades the whole Public Service is due to nothing; more than the fact that some heads of Departments do not give those under them a fair deal. Nowhere more than m the Treasury is this ill-feeling between the Generals and the rank and file*so

farapant. And it was shown m no unmistakeable manner the other day. The demise of Mr Gavin left a vacancy as assistant comptroller-general, and Mr J. B. Hayward, who was first m command at the Treasury, was from the first an odds on favorite for the billet, and as the result proved Hayward romped home an easy winner. For some years past Hayward was "First Lord of the Treasury," Colonel Collins ranked next, and Mr Vincent was third, though a lot of wonder has been expressed at the fact that Vincent should rank before Mr Mowbray. Now, m all his years of official life Hayward has never ingratiated himself into the good-fel-lowship of those under him. He never considered the feelings of anybody ;■■•'■

HE SLIGHTED EVERYBODY. Under- him any small concessions were impossible. Promotion was the last thing thought of. The last Estimates 'before the House bears out this assertion. One or two officials got increases, but the reason of their, advance may be more easily guessed at than 'judiciously described. Flushed, however with his promotion Mr J. B. Hay ward imagined that he was "a fellow of infinite jest and excellent fancy," and no doubt entertained the belief that others viewed him m the same light as he regarded himself. What followed soon settled any doubt that may have lingered m his mind regarding his popularity. The officers, young and old, were lined up m the long room of the Treasury to take leave of their chief. Attired m his Sunday best, with a swell nose-gay adorning the lappel of his coat, and endeavoring to make himself bigger a-bout the chest than nature intended, Hayward then and there m real presentation stvl<?.. delivered himself somewhat m the follo\wno- strain : "I cannot help realising the deen feelings of regret passing) m your minds at this moment ; for it is only when one leaves the office with which he has 'been associated for cVears. that one knows bow strong the tie of friendship there is existing between heads of the Department and the employees." THE UNEASY SHUFFLING OF FEET Which greeted this , remark was evidently taken by Hayward for applaud, as he proceeded: "The excellent terms upon which We part are a guarantee of a smooth and successful reign of the Ventleman who fills the vacancy created by my leaving you, and I feel sure that I am statin.* what is correct when I say that you have all been dealt with fairly and impartially by me."

The frigid silence that followed this was deadly, and for fear that the pearl should be forever lost it was repeated, but not a word m corroboration Was uttered by the assemblage, and Hayward went on :

"I do not expect that m leavine you we shall sever those close ties of friendship which have always bound us together, and I feel certain that when * our spokesman replies on your behalf he will wish me well on behalf of the staff and those under him. I will ae-ain wish -oil farewell, and I hope you will not make me blush by your references to myself m replyin* " Having thus delivered himself Hayward sat down, awaiting those references to himself which he hoped would not make him blush. None, however, seemed inclined to sing "For he's a jolly good fellow," and Havward had ihe hardihood *o ask someone to say something. The effect of this request was that one man arose and hurriedly left the room. This was a broad hint to the egregious Hayward. who, bein~ hoisted by his own petard, rose confusedly and bolted. Now that ho has left the Treasury the staff feel relieved, and no' doubt nthor "heatV of Deportments who regard themselves n.s 11m j liest of bosses will I'uJU' i'!';!:ts!t-'1 ( the wisdom or Solomon'p p>-p^ri>, "Who so dUgeth a pit shall fall there- i m."