Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1895. ABILITY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5146, 3 October 1895, Page 2

Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1895. ABILITY.

Tub Parliamentary small fry, the Smith, tlio Earnshaw, the Russell, the MuLachlan, the Buddo and others, havo been trying to pare salaries 011 the estimates—more, especially those of the higher grade men in the Civil Service. These small-minded politicians do not, grasp the idea- that the one thing in this world, which cannot be bought cheap and which is worth [laying dearly for, is " ability." Ability is wanted in the Government, in the House, and in the Civil Service, to leaven the frightful mediocrity and inferiority 'which spoils the roast, It is the ,one thing essential to the prosperity and progress of the Colony, and it is tlio one thing that the Parliamentary small fry discountenance and discourage. A merchant will pay a manager a thousand a year to look after a turnover of fifty or sixty thousand pounds; that is, he will spend two or three per cent. 011 his returns, to secure" ability." But our pettifogging J6|ji,sla tors, under similar circumstances, ivouid pnly givo a half or a quarter or au eighth per cent. It is popular to cut down high salaries and to drive ability out .of the Public Service, and perhaps some of pur legislators follow this course because it is pp[i|ilar ; 'and'not because they do npt l>fiow lifiy better. No employer loses 011 a high salary paid to an ablo man, It is the medium and low rates paid to unable men, which prove unprofitable,