A FIGHTING SPEECH.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14431, 12 August 1912, Page 2

A FIGHTING SPEECH.

—« POLITICAL PA'iKONAGE TO CEASE. FILES THAT GO ASTRA"*:. MB FISHER ON THE LIBERAL ADMINISTRATION. (SFECIA- TO "THE PEESS.") WELLINGTON, August 10. One of the best speeches delivered in Parliament for many a long day was the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher's reply to Mr G. W. Russell in the Budget debate last evening. As a piece of destructive criticism, it was most effective, and a decided score for tho new Government. It made a great impression on the Houso and upou the people -who had crowded into the galleries; it "was listened to ivith rapt attention, and was .much talked about afterwards. Owing to the lateness of the hour at which it finished, it was impossible last night to give more than a brief outline of Mr Fisher's remarks. A fuller report of the conclusion of the speech is, however, well worth putting on record There had been somo queries from Mr Ell to which Mr Fisher had replied with promptness and effect, and finally he launched out as follows:— "Does the hon. gentleman suggest for a moment that it is in the interests of this country to any longer continue the system, that has been in vogue up to the present, of granting personal and political favours to certain persons in the Government departments? Does the hon. gentleman suggest that in this country we ought to continue a system by which Cabinet has decided that ali the business of a great State Department in a certain town is to bo given to ono man to the exclusion of everybody else? A CABINET DECISION. "I asked tlie head of the Department to let mc havo the papers which directed that all the business was to be given to one man, and the file cannot be found. It has gone astray. It may havo been accidentally lost,' probably it' has been; but it is a coincidence, to say the least of it, that, when important matters like this crop up, the records, unfortunately, are misplaced. In connection with that case, all I can say is, that instructions had been givenSir Joseph "Ward: What town and what firm? . .

The Hon. Mr Fisher: I am willing to give tlio lion, gentleman any informat.on he wishes, but' I do not wish to publish the names. Hon. Members: Oh?

I Tho Hon. Mr Fisher: It was the the Right Hon. gentleman's own Administration. Sir Joseph Ward: What was tho firmP ' . ,'■ The Hon. Mr Fisher: "Well. I think it was a Mr Macalistcr, a lawyer in Invercargill, and instructions wero given by Cabinet that all business in Invercargill in tho Government insurance was to bo given to tho ono man. The head of the Department has informed mc that this is not in the interests of the business, and that the restriction ought to be removed. I have communicated with the head of the Department and told him to run the Department as a business concern, regardless of political considerations, and to-day the restriction is oif. (Hear, hear, and applause.) When 1 asked for tho papers containing the Cabinet'minute they could not be produced, and I ought to tell the lion, gentleman that the file was lost in the Premier's office in December, 1910. I do not know what has hapnened to it. Thefhon. gentlemannsked for tho information, find now he has cot it. 1 hope he is satisfied. That sort of thing must bo stopped—it i« not to be tolerated any longer. (Hear, hear.) Then again, tenders aro not to be received by this Government in secret. We.are not going to advertise and call for public tenders and, when the public tenders come in, accept whatever one wo choose, without any nublicity whatever, ana *once having accepted a' tender, renew it from time to time to the complete satisfaction of ono particular firm. That sort of thing must finally cease. (Hear, hear). GREAT CHANGES IMMINENT. "Groat changes are imminent Political touts and hangers-on will be banish-xl from our Tublic Service. ("Hear, hear.) All this system has 'to stop, and merit has to be taken into consideration. Length of service is to be considered. The mere fact that a member of the Public Service is related to some person in the House, or to somo member in the Cabinet, as the case may be, is going to weigh no longer with the members of this Administration. Tho practice by which one Civil Servant can go out of this country and -et leave on full nay, whilst another Civil Servant- could" not go out of tlie country unless he goes on leave without pay, has also to stop. All the special considerations to special persons, by reason of their birth, or .lineage, or relationship, or other fallacious claims, are ended so far as this Administration is concerned. (Hear, hear.) "A number of the members who are opposed to I know will bo sorry to hear that, but nevertheless we aro determined to carry out these reforms. Our opponents will be disappointed, be- | cause they thought that when we eamo into office, the first thing we would do would be to put a rope round our necks and hang ourselves. (Laughter.) In point of fact, this party has come into power, and every single man in it is imbued with his determination to do the right and proper and straight thine, and, in tho words of my leader, to 'give every man a fair and square deal.' (Ministerial applause.) If this Administration is to be succeeded in office by another Administration in the near future, I can only express the hope, aa a young New Zealander, and a3 one who wants to see my native country progress en democratic lines, that we shall be succeeded by a clean and vigorous party, not ono that is broken in spirit, not one that is filled with malice and bitterness, anger, and vexation, and internal dissension, by reason of its having been deprived of the despotic power to improperly distribute the spoils of office, but that we may be succeeded by a party that has uplifting national aspirations and is composed of honest men", who are determined to do the best thing for the country at all costs and at all times." (Applause.)