WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1920, Page 10

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE PRINCE'S BREAK-DOWN". NEW ZEALAND'S RESPONSIBILITY. (Special Correspondent.) I Wellington, June 4. There are some prieklings of conscience here in connection with the Prince of Wales' nervous exhaustion in Australia. The "I-told-you-so" people are recalling the warnings they uttered while the Royal visitor was passing through New Zealand. No robust man of mature ago, sthey now feel privileged to say, could have gone through the task thrust upon the Prince by an inconsiderate Government and a thoughtless people during his tour through the Dominion without suffering tho severest physical and nervous strain. The trouble began at Auckland, was continued at Rotorua, intensified during the trip to Wellington, and reached its climax in the capital city. It is known that while here his personal attendants protested mildly against tho hard work that was being imposed upon the Prince, but the sorely tried youig man would not hear of any modification of the official programme being made on his account, and.the break-down in Australia is the result.

NON-POLITICAL CONTROL. Some days ago it was stated in one of the newspapers that Mr. Massey had admitted the failure of the commissioner control of the Civil Service, and would get back to the old system of control as speedily as possible. This morning, through the columns of the Dominion, he gives this statement an emphatic denial. "It is," he says, in a phrase which in political circles is taken to be equivalent to calling the other fellow by a v-;ry hard name, "entirely contrary to fact." "A Bill," he goes on to explain, "is at present being drafted by the Law Drafting Office, and will be submitted to Parliament during the coming session, which will strengthen the existing Uw with regard to non-political control and which will remedy certain defects in the Civil Service Act itaelf." But while stii.l championing "non-political" control with all his former ardor, the Prime Minister seems disposed to somewhat modify bis earlier interpretation of the term. EXCEPTIONS, x

In big statement this morning, M.\ Massey mentions one or two exceptions from the operation of the Public Service Act. "In saying that," he adds to his previous declaration, "I stand by what. I said to the deputation which Waited up.jn me qome six weeks ago, to the effect that the Government should be consulted in regard to the Administrative Division of the Public Service, which is practically restricted to permanent heads of Departments." His critics already are jibing the Minister with having abandoned a very material part of his former platform, and they are not discomfited by his retort that he is considering the ''possibility" of bringing the Public Trust Office and the Post Office under the provisions of the Act. These two offices have been exempt hitherto hecause it was felt the nature of their business unsuitable for commissioner control. It is not expected in well-informed circles ti.at any change will be made. CABINET' MAKING. When Mr. Massey set about re-con-structing his Cabinet after the dissolution of the National Government it was expected in political circles that Mr. .T. A. Young, the member for Waikato, would be among the younger members of the Reform Party selected for promotion. Mr. Young has not only claims but qualifications for a place at the Cabinet table, and some disappointment wna f.;lt by his friends when he waa overlooked at the last distribution of portfolios. It is reported now from a usually well-in-formed source, however, that when Sir William Herries retires, as ho may do a.t any time now, Mr. Young will come into his dues and be given a wider sphere for the exercise of his ability and industry than he has yet enjoyed. Mr. Young has not been among the obvious seekers after office, and he has none of the showy qualities of the politician, but he is an ind«fatiga&le worker, and his promotion would be generally popular