YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 14998, 4 October 1912, Page 8

YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENT.

[Abridged from Press Association.] legislative council. The Macarthy Trust Bill was put through all its stages. ° CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. The debate was continued by the Hon. Geo. Jones, who said that to h'is mind tho Bill was really Ministerial control disguised under a maze of phrases. One form oi political patronage alleged against a .past Administration was preference to Catholics, but there was no foundation for such an accusation. In the Postal Department there were 4,800 employees, of whom 742 were Roman Catholics, or 15.79 per cent. The population proportion over 15 years was 16.19 per cent. Tho railway employees totalled 12,500, and no more than 15 per cent, were Roman Catholics. No single reason had been advanced to support the acceptance of the measure under discussion, ihey could not dodge political influences, try how they would. Power must be given to someone, and what was more legitimate than that tho representatives of the people should exercise that power? The Australian Civil .Service had neen in a bad way, while the Now Zealand Service, in point of view oT efficiency, was cecond to none in the Empire. Evil's elsewhere .should not influence reforms here. It was said that the principle of the Bill had been before the country for years, but so had been systematic, cruel," and persistent misrepresentation of the condition of the Civil Service. This was one of the twin measures of the Government, but ho hoped it would go the same way as the other—the Reform of the Legislative Council. He opposed this Bill because it was not an open attempt to control and do justice to the Civil Service. It was the creation of a. mere phantasy conjured up fur political purposes. T-lie Hon. J. Barr said the responsible Ministers could not shoulder the burden, and the administration was left to departmental hands, who could not be properly supervised. This Bill seemed to be an endeavor to meet that problem. Many American and Continental cities were adopting commissioner control for their enterprises, and the results were satisfactory. He approved of the experiment here. Ihe Bill would encourage ability, and that was right and proper in the interests of ; all. I J. Rigg said the reform of the j Civil Service was perhaps necessary, but it j was the duty of lire Ministry and not of I Commissioners to undertake'this reform. I It was a question of political patronage or ! patronage by Commissioners, Although he (Mr Riga) opposed the measure, he would, if the Bill were made operative for three years only, vote tor it. This would allow the people to endorse or condemn the measure. The Hon. W. C. F. Carncross said that if the Government voluntarily chose to deprive themselves of patronage and to bring forward such a measure as this, it showed that their motive was at least pure, and that must be appreciated. The Government had made the Bill a plank of their platform, so it had been before the people, who had not condemned it. Ihe Hon. R. A. Loughnan said he would have preferred to see the Government shouldering their responsibilities instead of, as it seemed, shirking them. The Bill was a departure from democratic principles. The Hon. J. T. Paul said the Bill was a praiseworthy effort, but there were dangers in administration by Commissioners, as in patronage by Ministers. The time was coming when most of the State ivories would be managed by Commissioners, but the workers would have direct representation among these Commissioners. The debate was adjourned.