South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1880.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2291, 21 July 1880, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1880.

The report of the Civil Service Commissioners sensational, as it was designed to be, lias exploded like a blank cartridge, leaving a bad odour behind it, but doing no perceptible damage. Like many other bulky but worthless articles it wanted ballast. . The detonating mixture made’a noise but it was only momentary. Already all is bushed, the report has been practically pigeon-holed and it is not likely to be resuscitated. Had the Commissioners dealt with the Civil Service in a fair spirit their work might have borne some fruit. But in trying to do too much they have done nothing. The only thing that has been agreed to by tbeGovernment —the jraposhigof an all-round reduction of 10 per cent, on salaries and wages—could have been effected quite independent of their labors. Personally, with one exception, the Commissioners have not displayed much annoyance at this treatment. With an alacrity that was astonishing, they had barely completed their labors than they became officially defunct. Having discharged their duty their concern in the work on which they had been engaged apparently ceased. But there is one exception. The report has had a maternal sponsor in the member for Cheviot. Mr Alfred Saunders has betrayed a great amount of emotional sympathy for this report, and he has taken its fate keenly to heart. It is undoubtedly severe on the representative of one hundred and thirteen voters that his recommendations should be slighted. Allowing that the report was much labored but very abortive, that its deductions were founded on evidence of a shady and unreliable character, that, in short, the report ■was far too premature to live long, is it not an unwarrantable affront to its author to quietly bury it, without even inviting him to the funeral ?

Why has the unhappy report missed fire ? The reason is not very difficult to find. The Civil Service examination was entrusted to the worst of hands. Sir Wm. Douglas and Mr Pharazyn, are both good amiable gentlemen in their way, but they were not exactly the kind of agents to be employed on a task of this kind. Apparently they did not relish the work, and they took things easily. Mr Saunders, on the contrary, entered upon his duties with the avidity of a jSihilist spy. He was evidently panting for a dash at the Service, particularly the x’ailway department. He performed his disagreeable work ungrudgingly—perhaps because ho bore

someone a grudge. Now Mr Saunders was just about the last man the Government should have selected for the office of a Civil Service Commissioner. He has plenty of courage, but it is of the “Brummagem” bronze metal type, and he lias not sufficient caution to counterbalance it. For a man of his experience ho is abnormally impulsive. In several respects he is a weak imitation of Sir William Fox. He imitates the vices of the member for Eaugitikei, and he has none of his redeeming graces. Sir Wm. Fox has the advantage of a lofty code of morals. Mr Alfred Saunders is self-opiniated, garrulous, and irritable. Instead of approaching questions in a calm, deliberate, or judicial spirit, he jumps at conclusions. That he should be constantly tripping and stumbling is only natural.

The present position of Mr Alfred Saunders and the report of the Civil Service Commissioners is something lamentable. Mr Conyers, Commissioner of Railways, has replied to the sensational report at length, and he has proved it to bo as stupid as it is ill - conceived. The reply has stung Mr Saunders to the quick and he retorts with one of the most long-winded motions on record, and a speech that is chiefly remarkable for its abusive vehemence and illogical argument. Air Conyers declares Air Saunders’ facts to be fiction, and Atr Saunders replies that the proof will be forthcoming, but fails to produce it. The trashy railway waggons, which Air Saunders scented in Christchurch, are like Japhct, in search of a father, and it is to be feared that unless Air Saunders takes the illegitimate and ill constructed to his own capacious bosom, nobod} r else will own them. It is becoming apparent that when he attacked Railway Commissioner Conyers cxCivil Service Commissioner Saunders reckoned without his host. He is astonished that Air Conyers should have penned such a complete vindication to the moan and meaningless charges brought against himself personally and the railway department generally. Air Saunders assures the members of the House that the defence emanated not from Air Conyers but from Air Stout. But Air Stout denies the insinuation, and unless Air Saunders, who seems to be a linn believer in the illnaturod adage that “ All men arc liars,” retorts on Air Stout as lie did on Air Blair and Air Conyers, he must, like tiie valiant Pistol, cat the leek. Wc would advise Air Saunders if he wishes to swallow a Railway Commissioner to try some other part of the world besides new Zealand. Air Conyers is evidently beyond his reach. Ho has aimed too high : tried to do too much and lie has done nothing, ic ii.o civil R to be reformed, wc must have reformers of a different stamp from the member lor Cheviot. AVc must have men who will do their work cautiously, yet effectually; who will aim at building up, not tearing to pieces. The late Civil Service Commissioners have been freely complimented on their courage; wc wish wc could compliment them on their prudence. Alere courage is to madness near allied, A brutal rage, which prudence docs not guide.