MINISTERIAL NEPOTISM.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 120, 16 October 1896, Page 3

MINISTERIAL NEPOTISM.

We hear that the men employed on cooperative works at W'hangomomona, Awakino, and elsewhere have had. their wages increased from six to eight shillings a day, and that 100 additional men have been placed on the Awakino works. This is in keeping with the policy of the Government, and the history of the previous political campaign throughout the Colony is thus being repeated. We do not begrudge any man getting eight shillings a day if he is capaole of performing the work allotted him, but the recent move savonrs of jMmistcrial corruption if these men were only entitled to sis shillings a day at any previous time of the year, As far as the Egmont electorate is concerned this movement dll fail to achieve its object—namely, the return of the Government candidate, as tue majority of the electors are fully determined that they will not be represented by a political puppet who moveth according as he that is behind pulleth the strings. Another feature of the Egmont campaign is that the offices in, certain State departments are being transformed for the time being into resorts for political touts and for electioneering purposes. This sort of thing is not only unfair to candidates who display political independence, but is a gross misuse of the positions occupied by officers of the State, \vl (, are paid out of the general revenue of the country for their services. Such tactics though not unknown in America, do mu bode well for the future of the Civil Service of this Colony, because it cannot be expected that the star of Mr Seddon and his followers will shine forth for ever.— H.M. Post.