CIVIL SERVANT’S GRIEVANCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6622, 11 September 1908, Page 9

CIVIL SERVANT’S GRIEVANCE

'ALLEGED REFLECTIONS ON HIS CHARACTER. MEMBER'S STRONG COMMENT. A petition by Thomas Walker, of Levin, for compensation in consequence of damage to his character caused a discussion in Parliament yesterday. Petitioner represented that for live and a half years he was employed under the jif.uioation Department os overseer of the Boys’ Training School at Weraroa, rendering good and faithful service; that ho was accused of there being a shortage of ten head of cattle, and of selling stock of the value of ,£2OO without accounting for the money. An investigation showed that there was a surplus of ten head of cattle. He asked for an apology, but received no reply, and subsequently was dismissed from his employment. He petitioned for compensation for the damage to his character. The Education Committee reported that as tuey iwu ueeii luiaoio to nnu uuil any enarges had been maao against Walker's integrity, or that any utuuuge hau been biusuxjiieu oy him, tney had no recommendation to make.

Air Jfieui moved to refer the matter back to tne committee. Ho said tno report would not give satisfaction either t> Walker of ms mends, some of wnom were members of tne Douse. Warner did not present to the committee ail tne evidence ho could have obtained. Mr T. Mackenzie’s comment was that tiie Government was the only employer in the Dominion which did not have the right to say when an employee ceased to suit them for the particular employment in which he was engaged, if it was to bo held that as soon as a per- , son got a footing in the civil service he would bo bound, to retain it, this was a contention tne House would not sustain. If the pressure which had been put upon members from civil servants continued, it might be found that tne Government would find it necessary to iali back upon methods which were not approved but were in operation in other cuiunes. STRONG CRITICISM. Mr Lawry declared that the petitioner had been persecuted. When ho took charge of the Weraroa farm it was a howling wilderness. Members knew what a change ho had made, and how the dairy herd was the hnest in the Dominion. He incurred the animosity of the man who virtually controlled the Government. Sir Joseph Ward: Who is that man? Mr Lawry; He is not Frank Lawry. As soon as Walker Incurred the displeasure of the Agricultural Department s head h-i was a marked man. Ho lost his position, and one of the Hon. George Eowids’s satellites, who knew no more about farming than the member for Wairarapa did about astronomy, was appointed. He regarded it as one of the most disgraceful things he had ever known in the public allairs of the Dominion. Mr Hogan stated that the petitioner was never given an inquijy. The only reason for his dismissal seemed to be that ho was too old, but his age was only fifty-three. Mr Massey remarked that at the time of Walker's dismissal it was said there was something wrong with his accounts, but they were afterwards found to be quite satisfactory. During his employment at Weraroa he suffered a physical injury which prevented him doing hard work again. Mr J. A. Hanan (chairman of the committee) pointed out that the petitioner claimed damages, not for wrongful dismissal, but alleged reflections • upon his character. He was appointed for the special purpose of preparing the land, by clearing and reading, for the establishment lof the industrial school. It was found that ho was not a disciplinarian, and his age prejudiced his chance of being able to control the boys. Because Mr Walker was asked to account for the sale of about ,£2OO worth of cattle—a perfectly legitimate question—--1 he jumped to the conclusion that it was la reflection upon his character. His : statement was found to be correct, and • h».- made no complaint at the time. A menth/s notice was required to terminate i LiV engagement, and nine months after j the statement being rendered ho was given notice. The committee heard no I complaint from the petitioner in regard | to wrongful dismissal, but simply a com- | plaint that his character had been injured. Walker had his legal remedy without coming to Parliament, which should not bo turned into an arbitration court 01 the Supreme Gourt. No opposition was offered to the proposal that the report be referred back |to the committee, and this was agreed i to.