Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1928. N.S.W. ADMINISTRATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1928, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1928. N.S.W. ADMINISTRATION

THE Dominion’s politicians, Ministerial and Opposition, seldom lack critics, but New Zealand can justly claim that the standard of purity in public life is maintained on high levels by all the Parties. In this respect, hitherto, there has

been no difference between Reform

Liberal and Labour ideals, and even in the heat of political controversy, no serious suggestions ever arise that any graft or corruption exists. So much is this the case, that it is taken for granted, and all will hope that this happy state of affairs will be permanent. What a different story has to be told of the neighbouring Commonwealth, and particularly in New South Wales! ..Instance after instance is revealed of maladministration in high circles, or attempts to seduce those in authority from

;he path of honesty. The scandals

in connection with Sydney’s municipal contracts have not all been fully investigated, but enough has been revealed to prove grave breaches of public trust. Mating is to serve a small term of imprisonment for his part in the “electricity” graft, and well might the Judge, in dismissing the appeal against such sentence, express the opinion that it erred on the side of leniency. There may he further arrests in connection with. Sydney’s coal supply contracts, and, generally, the disclosures should have aroused popular indignation. Apparently, Australia is Jess concerned over public corruption, than the result of the first Test match. What the general idea in New South. Wales seems to be on the subject of administrative purity was further instanced by the recent attempt to bribe Mr. Bruntnell, the Chief Secretary, by placing on his table £2OO in notes, in an envelope, with a case of pipes. A Nationalist Member of the Assembly is alleged >

to have left this “little present” on behalf of one of his constituents. If Parliamentarians can descend to such tactics, what hope is there of avoidance of corruption, and unless drastic examples are made of proved offenders, what depths must be reached in due course! It might have been thought that the Sydney muncipal disclosures would have cheeked further attempts at corruption, but, evidently, the idea is fixed in the minds of many Australians that every Minister has his price. Some go further, and think that threats are all that are necessary to compel a Minister to be a traitor to his public duty. Last week, in the N.S.W. Assembly,. the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Thorby) stated that he had received letters containing threats of death, and references to razor-blades. The Minister, apparently,. has been having a “clean-up” of the Botanic Gardens service, and his personal investigations revealed great laxity. When he explained that he had paid personal visits to the gardens, a Labour Member said: “If you were in a workship you would get a bucket of water or a bolt on your head for that.” The Minister said that for more than four weeks he and the officers of the department, including the typiste, had been rung up, and the most insulting and threatening things imaginable had been shouted over the telephone. When visiting Australians, ’with characteristic reticence, are unfolding the glories of the Commonwealth to New Zealanders, the latter can console themselves with the reflection, that in. public administration, this country has no cause for envy of its larger neighbour.