THE FUTURE OF BRITAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 236, 2 October 1920, Page 17

THE FUTURE OF BRITAIN.

DANGER OF OFFICIALISM. A New Zealander who has had very exceptional opportunities of closely observing methods of British government ie far frora enamoured nt the rigidity of the departmental system. His views are worth quoting. He writes to a friend in Auckland: —

■'I am often asked what I think of the future of this country. Ido not 'believe a better race ever lived than its inhabitants, but it appears to mc that they take some matters too lightly, and I doubt whether the lessons of the war have yet had their proper effect. We observe Germans fretting access to this country again, and we know that their methods of the past will be adopted in the future, if they get the chanoe. What is -wrong is, 1 thiniv, dearly set forth in Lord Fisher's book. •Memories,' in which he states that men were promoted because of length of service or influence, rather than because of capacity. As he put it, •'Some day the Empire will go down because it is Buggins' turn.' It took this country three to four years to get rid of the incompetent officers of the lArmy and to enable the real grit to come through to the top. The deplorable Dardanelles expedition is an apt illustration of that, for, although there were only about 3,000 Turks when our men landed at Sxuia Bay, the episode of 24,000 British soldiers not marching three miles, whilst the Turks were able to send for reinforcements and march 73 miles in two days and afterwards inflict some S.OOO casualties on the British, shows deplorable incapacity. The Navy, too, when the days of war came, and especially at Jutland, discovered weaknesses that had been pointed out long before by competent naval authorities, and, as one officer, who occupied a prominent position in the battle of Jutland, said to mc: ' The surprise is tfhat the Germans left the British ships before they had sent most of them to the 'bottom.' Of course, defects were corrected aifterwards; but one feels that the reactionary incompetent is allowed to reach the top, and, in many instances, when he blunders, instead of being , ignominiously' dismissed, is again placed in a position of responsibility, and at times decorated. It may seem almost impertinent to refer to these outstanding questions, but the conclusion I have arrived at is that you may change Governments, but so long as departments are controlled as they are, and have been, in this country for many years, by the Civil Service, the Minister 'has little influence. I understand that Gladstone told Lord Fisher that he was helpless against all the public departments. If this nation, in whom Now Zealand is so much concerned, i.s to stand, things imjst be changed, and I believe that earnest men in this" country are. at thp present time, straggling manfully to effect the reforms that are necessary.' .