CIVIL SERVANTS' POLITICAL RIGHTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 184, 5 August 1936, Page 6

CIVIL SERVANTS' POLITICAL RIGHTS.

From tlie preliminary discussion that lias taken place concerning the Political Disabilities Removal Bill it would appear that the Opposition in Parliament is unaware of the fact that civil servants as citizens have rights in common witli the rest of the community. It is fair to assume that every thinking civil servant has political convictions, and it is every free man's right to lie able to say what he thinks without fear of the consequences. It is a good thing that the regulations attempting to make civil servants "dumb dogs" are now to be deposited in the dust bin. As taxpayers they have as much right to express their political opinions as any other section of the community. To deny them this elementary right is to impose upon them an unjustifiable system of slavery that should never have been countenanced by a professedly liberty-loving people. TJie civil servants of this country constitute a large proportion of its population, and for past Governments to seek to muzzle in tlie political arena one of the largest bodies of our most intellectual people was simply monstrous. Civil servants have always had the good sense to perform their duties loyally and efficiently, irrespective of whatever Government was in power, and there is 110 reason to think that they will ever do otherwise. CIVIL SERVANT.