Page 4 Advertisements Column 4

NZ Truth, Issue 1031, 29 August 1925, Page 4

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Engage Experienced and Reliable Men. AUCTION SALES Well Conducted Mean MORE MONEY TO YOU. 'L VINE h Co. "■"■»■"» E -. i :,;;i.:. nd _^!!!^L (Incorp. A. L. Wilson & Co.) \A/~iii*in+rin Tel 20-617 :: 107 Customhouse Quay, Wellington. lei. HOTEL AND PROBATE VALUERS^ __ BRANCH OF F IO E S-AUCKLAN^ S Comm«ce f Street. tMet DUNEBIN: 111 Stuart Street. AUSTRALIA— STDNET: 112 King Street. NEWCASTLE: Scott Street. a .,, not . MELBOURNE: 244-6 Little Lonsdale Street. BRISBANE: 215-217 Adelaide Street. PERTH: 39-41 King Street. ADELAIDE: King William Street TASMANIA: Hobart. . ' - , ' SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1925. ___^ ■ r-O ' 1 DM He Nip the Wrong Leg? THE Auditor-General is a watch-dog and a very necessary *, watch-dog. If lie has barked m the wrong place, the fact 'still remains that a watch-dog that barks now and then out of its turn is at least preferable to one that 'slumbers all day long m its kennel, barkless and toothless. OF course, it still remains to be proved how much or how little backing m fact is behind Auditor-General Campbell's indictment of protesting Departments. The tone of the Prime Minister's remarks m Parliament is unfavorable to the A.G. And that fact raises a strong presumption. But it should not be allowed to prejudice the case pending the Select Committee's finding. pOR the same reason, the Official Labor Leader's apparent • * bias against the Campbell report is to be discounted. It is curious without being convincing. Has any of the Audit bombs fallen m the house of^ a friend ? OFFICIAL Labor Leader 11. E. Holland is, of course, a bit of a watch-dog himself. And there is seldom very much amity between two of a trade. 'Resentment of competition or rivalry is a deep-seated instinct. And it ia especially strong m | watch-dogs. These Islands are too small for more than one watch-dog of the H.E.H. type. WHEN the Committee arrives at its finding, "Truth" will be astonished if it is found that the Auditor-General has made one direct hit. But should such be the case, nothing, of- . course, can save him from censure. To raise a big smoke from a medium-sized fire may be pardonable. But a smoke-cloud without any fire at all ia not. ' , • AN official holding, such a powerful and privileged position as the. A.G., responsible to Parliament alone, could not be forgiven for using his extraordinary powers against State servants with no justification whatever. He carries a gun .that involves its bearer m great obligations and greater responsibilities. The liability of an unjust accuser is m proportion to his eminence and privilege. But if the Select Committee, holding' the scales as between accuser and accused, finds fifty-fifty, • "Truth"' will think twice before it joins the Cpates-Holland chorus m dispraise of the official custodian of the State's financial probity. There must be some margin for error. The last thing that should be killed is courage m the Audit Office. A SCRUPULOUS attitude m matters of public expenditure is certainly not a sign of the times. It -would be comparatively easy to float along on the lazy tide that now prevails. Therefore, when an official prefers an onerous activity to an ca r iy silence, he may be unfashionable, but his conduct is at, any rate not suggestive of self-seeking. THE complaisant and baekboneless tendency m public, affairs * was typified man unusually somnolent session, until the Auditor-General's bombshell woke up the slumbering' politicals. If there, had been no Campbell report, what on earth would Mr. Coatcs have had to talk about! , "TIIE A.G. may have some doubtful notions about. the relative -*' values of offences, and about the uses of publicity m the perpetuating of personal misdeeds, but the main issue is ! whether the more or less specific charges and reconimcnda- • tions he makes arc. right or wrong. "Truth" stands for giving- both the accuser and - the accused a fair field and no favor, but with the reservation that a public watch-dog 1 should not be taken out and shot merely if, once m a while, he gets hold of the wrong trouser-leg. Auditor-General's Bomb m Sleepy Hollow.