THE TRAIL OP THE TAMMANY SERPENT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10032, 10 May 1898, Page 4

THE TRAIL OP THE TAMMANY SERPENT.

The Railway Department has not hitherto been often accused of being under the Tammany system like other departments. Ministers and the Opposition have vied with each other in lauding Mr. Cadman as a sort of impeccable Minister. We have never believed that any Government department was free from the Tammany system, or could be free so long as Mr. Seddon was Premier. And facts have come to our knowledge warranting and confirming the truth of our belief. It is openly said in Dunedin that any one in that city or suburbs who desires to get an appointment in the Hillside Workshops must get the influence of Mr. Morrison or Mr. Miliar, or his chance of appointment is small. It is also said that in other districts there is no chance of appointments in the railway system unless political influence is obtained. These statements were more than confirmed by a circular recently issued, and which has been brought under our notice. The Department has necessarily to employ casual labour, and a circular has been issued to the District Managers that they must communicate with the head office stating the casual labour they may require. Further, it appears from the circular that no one is to be employed but those whose names are sent from Wellington ! Tnis makes a complete Tammany organisation for the Railway Department. Not a single casual labourer is to get employment unless through the head office in Wellington, and we presume Ministers will control the selection of names. We have already learned that in the Police Department nothing was done without the sanction of the Minister—appointments, removals, promotions, were all directly Ministerial. Apparently the same system is to be applied to even casual labourers in the Railway Department. This shows the perfection of the New Zealand Tammany organisation, and how, to use a phrase from from Ovid, the finger of the King reaches even to the pettiest offices. Who would have believed it possible that a man could not be employed to assist in unloading grain, or wool, or to do any other odd job on the railway, except his name was sent from Wellington? Everyone knowa what this means. It signifies a selection of the casual labourers on political lines. We wonder what would have been said had the Commissioners acted as the Minister is acting.