LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1209, 18 August 1911, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

A DEMOCRATIC MEASURE. OPPOSED BY" THE GOVERNMENT. . Sir, —It is lamentable, yet not surprising, to see .Ministers opposing .Mr. Jiordmans Civil Service Reform Bill; lamentable .because, the. measure is entirely democratic in its character, and much needed in the public interest; yet not surprising because the Government, like the selfish Uoman in the Acts of the Apostles, cares nothing for these things, but is inveterately attached to the present system, which enables it to reward supporters to secure more, and so maintain that personal which is the curse ot' tho country. Front this curse Mr. Herdman's Bill would, within the sphere of its authority, release us. But a,s Mr. Jlerduiau himself has aptly observed, the Bill is opposed by the Government because it will remove civil servants from political influence, and because it is introduced by a member who happens to belong to the Opposition:—an Opposition that stands for constitutional democracy, as against tho pernicious personal rule of demagogues

In the course of his Thursday's speech 011 tho Bill, a singularly suggestive reference to the lato Mr. Seddon was made by Mr. Massed, who, as Leader of tho OpEosition, observed a fine reticence, which, owever, is not binding on me a? an outside student of public affairs. What Mr. Massej- stated was that in the year 1883 Mr. Seddon, as a private member, hod introduced a Bill not unlike that of Mr. Jlerdman, and that to the en.d of his career he continued to l>elievc in its principle, "but circumstances arose which caused him not to introduce it again/' In view of all tho circumstances, this is, I think, ono of the finest instances of fine political reticence on record; but. as an outside candid critic, I do not feel called upon to imitate it. Mr. Seddon. was assuredly statesman enough to see always "that the- principle for which he stood up in 1883 was fhc right thing—antf a nios L necessary thing—for tho country. But his paramount passion was personal rule, ana when he reached power he found that he could .secure his ends very thoroughly by the deplorable, undemocratic, and iniquitous system of political appointments to the public service. He accordingly maintained that system as his successors now wish to continue it for similar Teasons, though •to avert a catastrophe they themselves had to undo Mr. Seddon's pernicious practice to the extent of reducing its consequent cost by at least a quarter of a million pounds sterling,' The barefaced_ yet fatuous' audacity of Ministers in this important matter was well illustrated in tho House on Friday by the Hon. T. Mackenzie's opposition to Mr. Herdman's Bill. Mr. Hcrdman, however, causticallv summed up the situation by observing that "it was wonderful how times changed, and opinions with them," for the Mr. T. Mackenzie who now, as a member of tho Ward Government, opposed his (Mr. Herdman's) Bill, had ,in 190-4 supported him in a motion in favour of a Public Service Board. Of course, Mr. Mackenzie was then a member of the Opposition, which stands for constitutional democracy, whereas ho is now in a Ministry that prefers personal power to tho public interest Truly, an edifying instance of public spirit and political consistency! Was it not written a ceutury ago:

As bees, on flowers alighting, cease their hum, So men who turn their coats for place grow dumb About their former work for Kingdom Come. Anyway, it is a. pitiful spectacle this that is afforded by. tho indefensible opposition of Ministers to a measure wisely designed to put a stop to demoralising interference, witn tlio puolic service of the country.— I. am, etc., CANDID CRITIC.