CIVIL SERVICE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20543, 11 May 1932, Page 8

CIVIL SERVICE.

THE THAMES BOYCOTT. GRAVE POLITICAL SCANDAL. PLAIN SPEAKING IN HOUSE. [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, May 10. "Although some members of the Opposition attempt to make light of it and say it was only an indiscretion, in my view the Thames incident is one of the gravest political scandals that have ever occurred in New Zealand in my memory," declared the Hon. W. Downie Stewart in the House early this morning when replying to the third reading debate on the Finance Bill and dealing with disloyalty in the Public Service. "Mr W. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier) has asked whether it was fair to prohibit the Public Service from taking part in politics," said the Minister.' Mr Barnard: Or whether they will be prohibited from joining a political Party." "They always have been," said Mr Downie Stewart. "It is a recognised, thing with the Service." Mr H. E. Holland: How is it they are allowed to join the Eeform Partyt Another Labour member: Yes, and sit on committees. , Mr Downie Stewart: They should- not have been allowed. It has always been regarded as the cardinal virtue of'the. Public Service that jit» politics and that it renders loyal service to%h&evW Paints #|owlrP*l/ is the pride and glory of tbeiService-that it makes no discrimination between Parties, and that spirit has been maintained by the Public Seryirfe in New Zealand with exceptions-here and there. Mr Holland: Not exceptions. It was the general rule ten years ago when the Public Service supported ■ the Eeform Party. A Fallacious View. "It has been stated that this clause is designed to deprive the civil servants of their rights, and that such legislation is in itself an insult to the civil servants of the Dominion," said Mr TSownie Stewart. "The answer tp the complaint is that the vast majority of civile servants are quite indifferent to the legislation because they know it has no application to them at aIL They are the people who do their daily work honestly and efficiently and are quite undisturbed when such laws are. passed, to cope with a very few misguided people who might imperil or seek to imperil the good name of the Service. Moreover, if it is an insult to the Public Service to pass such a law as this, it is equally an insult to the whole community to pass laws prohibiting theft or murder. But, of course, the ordinary citizen is not concerned, because he knows that these last-men-tionedlaws have no application to him, and, similarly, no public servant is disturbed by laws which he knows cannot possibly apply to him, and he carries on his daily- work without any regard to such legislation. Members of the Public Service know well enough what is the object of the legislation, and I supposethat the large majority of them regard it as being passed to maintain the high reputation and great traditions of the Service. It is therefore in my view quite unfounded and fallacious to suggest that legislation is aimed at the Public Service in the way the Opposition has suggested." Mr Downie Stewart referred to the dismissal from the Service some years ago of Mr J. A. McCullough, who had maintained that he was entitled to take part in politics, and that public servants should not be deprived of their rights. Sir Joseph Ward had then explained the complete impossibility of allowing public servants being swayed in their loyalty, and there was no doubt it would be highly unwise to allow the Service to aide with any Party when it had to serve the public without discrimination.

Thames Incident. When Mr Downie Stewart referred to the Thames incident, Mr Holland interjected that it was an isolated case. "It was isolated by no means," the Minister said. "It has obtained in all parts of New Zealand." Mr Barnard: What, the boycott! How can yoa prevent it? Mr Downie Stewart: Yes, the boycott. I have_heard only recently it is going on utmost seriousness for the whole future of the Public Service and the proper conduct of public business. It is impossible to suppose that such a tbuig can be allowed to go on. Not only has it been operating in various parts of New Zealand, but I say this, that those ??+k™ Who took *** *» » did it not in their own tune but in the course of sf fL T*' v** the P r °P ri ety of it was, «™«l 0m hem * questioned by the exwS e rf. proved by the cxecT,tive *» tiSf Jf l^* 6 ' ! aid the Lab(rar Party had dent BCre . d . i<: the value of the «viof rn' m l„ Bg l e came from «"» Chamber SatH^V" 1 * they i « BOred Me fact clear k? 1 was inclusive and wat thJ ff "S 11^ 1 "* of this boycott v£e 8 I *. occurred ™ the Public SerthJt wa, » y f ° r toeitomi Parties, 'amSt % ?" ght be able to fight out S tf fi n emße r s - So **•» b e could join them ; A r e Pubho Service to

test against the 'Goverm&L M and call on it to resign. I?* 1 * Playing with M&': I "I want to say quite fragfyjj plays that game," he ni^pi^S any se'etion of the Putjuc S^S sition knows that one ollwjß Service .organisations'' hasMauS made .the Trades"Hall itTiSS in Wellington and Wds : S|jH| Mr' Holland; Yon tL,U £|Q Mr Downie' Stewart: Rtiwil very indiscreet thinp-fo tttl an indication that ~it nigil Public 'Service is linkingililhl England in 1927 .a«v&3i£M ment had prevent3&**nyHq|g9 organisation from hjffiigsjß*j ion with outride oj£jbnMfi3|fS had been told that'eerliugjOS the Service in New Zealgjfl'SjS come a similar mot* protect themselves. »&£ f'wfrM this case the Wonwjf&fainl ernment was der summary Downie Stewart.' believe the GovmiJHrai|Jßtf£l the Act justly. Jjfs*Sffi|M the Service must «afl.Sftg3|J one who said MytrißßyWMM the Prime previous heard above Hiiel^W^lMfeJß Downie Stew»r^|l|ij|B||^B chance anyonp against Ms gogie cries. "He'^'w^Wfplftj NO EVIDENC^WBH allegation made byjMJimraJ Stewart that itat Thames This denial is the Dunedin ComMj^^pj|B tion, and is .scpg^^HH^B "There is no eTide&MWHB Ths-secrefatry QIJIiIMB Committee said it cided at the a&I ? thing in the ns^nl ? >^^n|B| The president' Public Service J * SB ?sj|iH|M Departments B ? c 9^Sl|Hß tions to the c^yf^^^iHH all signatures mnet jj^HMHB Enquiries .aboQ^^R^HH employers said ihe!OSH^| definite. he knew his business-had .betlft^^HH The chairman Auckland section °f||nH| Association state'* tion of the Service had grieTaM^fflW^B ; methods of ' PARTICIPATIOIf^^H Educational tions that teachers^|jjggj[ ! definite assariai ) movement, has not ffiaHH^B I of mails and ' time, on her bae^^^^H