POLITICAL INFLUENCE.

Waikato Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1590, 24 June 1903, Page 2

POLITICAL INFLUENCE.

(EV (TELEGRAPH—PEESS ASSOCIATION). Wellington, L-isr Night. DoniNr; the course of the SanshuryTcare case some evidence was heard as to the influence extrei«ed by Sansbury, the plaintiff, in securing various public ap pointnients for his nephew, Dr. Tcare, the defendant. To-ila'y Mr Jellicoe, counsel for the plaintiff, in addres-inj; the Court, took occasion to deliver a remarkable disquisition on political influence. 'ln this country,' said he, ' where employment by merit in the publio service is now practically unknown ' — The Chiif Justice (smiling) : ' I don't think there is any evidence of that before the (Jourt.' Mr Jellicoe (continnine) : * "Where mediocrity has come to be the invariable note of the men employed in our public service it. is not surprising to fiud that those who possess political influence with Ministers are now able to treat that influence as a substantial commercial asset, a valuable consideration for any business partnership or business venture. X agree with Your Honour thit this is neither the time nor the place to justify or denounce this deplorable system". It is only necessary that we should understand it in its application to the facts of the present case, although I admit, a feeling of uneasiness when I con template the probability that the same system prevails in making appointments to the highest offices of the State, perchance even to the Bench of „this Court and to -rett elicited from some of the plaintiff's witnesses, it be a fact that in order to live in this colony, it is necessary to sit at the feet of these Todley-strcet tailors, who style themselves the great Liberal party, then it is only the natural result when we find appointments dictated and controlled by the class or school to which my client admittedly belongs. it is probable that our boasted advance, if it be an advauce, is only bringing up to the day when all character and intellect will be submerged below the level of our colonial democracy.' His Honor : ' You put you client in this position then. lou ask me to assume that he had political influence, and wished to make an asset such as we read of in chapters of American history ?' Mr Jellicoe : That is so. We have come to that pass now.