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Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2917, 26 March 1891, Page 2

From nearly every platform in the colony during the last electoral campaign, economy in thu management of the affairs of the colony was made by candidates thu principal, if not the only, plank in thwir platform. Thin was so of necessity, as the electors whose suffrages they courted had at lust thoroughly awakened tu the fact that the cost of governing and managing the affairs of the handful of people in the colony was out of all proportion to their number, and beyond their capacity to bear if they were to honourably meet their monetary engagements, aud progression, not retrogression, be the fate of the colony. Recently lists of officials to be " retrenched " have beer, published in the papers. In looking these down there will have been few who did not feel regret that one or other meritorious public servant was about to be shelved, and tendered the retiring allowance to which he is entitled under the regulations of the service. Notwithstanding this, it. is tn be hoped that individuals and communities will refrain from exercising pressure with the object of loading to the services of tho oflieial for whom the}' feel sympathy being rnfnincd. Tn a matter of this sort it is clearly the duty of the public to reeogniso and act upon the fact that the onus of retrenching rests with the Government and that it is they alono irlio can bo possibly informed as to tho merit? of each case. Tho public look to them to socuro that the saving of money in one direction is uot culpable oitravapuce iu

another—it in quite possible to save it ji:iund and causa ii of ton by decreased efficiency. Thoy may rely upon it that tho public will vory uarofully watch that the sham is uot practised upon tbem, oi' bowling one official out of the front door of tho public sorvico and admitting another at the bnck. Tho exercise of patronage is sweet to all men iu power, and when a Ministry first attains oflicothoy and their supporters have a good many political bills to meet, and political opponents to punish. It is the business of the public to watch that this is not done by the appointment or dismissal of officials.