POLITICAL.

Patea Mail, Volume XXXIX, 13 July 1914, Page 2

POLITICAL.

The Strength of the Parties.

The following table will show the strength of the parties in the House at the present time; Reform Opposition Allen Atmore Anderson Brown Bollard, J. Buxton Bollard, R. F. Carroll Bradney Colvin Buchanan Oraigie Buick -i Davey Campbell! Dickie Coates EH ; Dickson Forbes Escott Glover Fisher Hanan Eraser Hindmarsh Guthrie Isitt Harris McOallum Herdman McCombs Herries MacDonald Hine McKenzie Hunter Myers Lee Parata Malcolm Payne Mander Poland Massey Rangihiroa Newman, A. K. Robertson Nosworthy Russell Qkey Seddon , Pomare Sidev Pearce Smith, R. W. Reed Thomson, J. 0. Rhodes, R. W. Veitch Rhodes, T. W. Ward Soott . Webb Smith, F, H. Wilford Statham Witty Sykes Buddo Thomson, G. M, Ngata Wilkinson Wilson Young Clark Newman Miller Bell Laing 44 3( PAID SPIES IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

A revelation of some of the underground work being done to discredit the present Government by persons in the Public Service, who,are “ paid scouts and spies ” for the Opposition, was made by Mr 0. K. Wilson in the House of Representatives on Thursday night. Mr Wilson said he knew-of one public officer who, in reply to complaints from settlers about the nonexpenditure of Government grants, had replied that the money had not been made available, when in actual fact the money had been authorised weeks earlier, “ That is the type of man,” said Mr Wilson, “ that the expenditure of public money is being left in the hands of, and they are scheming for the purpose of injuring the present Government, who are doing everything in their power to give assistance so long delayed ■■ to settlers in the back country. I know of a case that occurred the other day. Money had been authorised for moqths and months, and instead of the road overseer doing the work, the grant was wasted in an immoral way, and at the same time the overseer was trying to put the fault upon the Government. Metal for ths work for which the money was provided was cracked last year, and although he had authority to put it on, he formeu and graded the piece of road right late into the winter, and to - day that road is three feet deep in mud, the < expenditure is blocked, and the metal is still lying not put on the road. That man is a public servant! Again, I repeat, there are men in the Service who are doing this sort of thing to injure the Government. . . . There are men put into the Service as political spies, and they are the paid agents of the Opposition co spy on the Government , and give information to the Opposition. “ The overseers are fooling with the co-operative labourers—deliber* ately and wilfully fooling* with them. Why.does an overseer tell co-operative labourers that the rate for the work in. bard rook is a shilling a yard, when he knows very wall he will have to pay 8s 6d? What right has the overseer to try to fool these workmen ? It is easy to understand the object of this sort of thing, ... Why

should 'he tell the men they are getting a shilling a yard when he knows very well they are getting 3s 6d ? . . . These men can

have only one object, and that sort of thing must be stopped, because it is not fair to the working man, and most unjust to the Government that pays them their salaries.”

The Hon. W. Fraser (Minister of Public Works) made a brief statement •afterwards, “ lest bis silence might be misinterpreted.” If the honourable gentleman would formulate charges against certain officers, be said, giving the names of the men, and the locality, he would have a searching inquiry made into the matter, and if the charges were true, the troubles would not occur again. “But.” he said, “ I have h,ad complaints by letter from some meu that they can’t get work because the gangers would not put them on. And I have sent a competent officer who has seen the ganger and the man supposed to writh a letter, and the man has said the whole thing was a fabrication. That sort of thing goes on. But I do not think I. should take as proven charges against my own officers until I have proved them myself,”—Dominion.

Liberal Leagoie, All members of the Patea Liberal League are reminded of the meeting to-night in the Druids’ Hall at 7,30 p.m. Arrangements will be made for the forthcoming conference of delegates to be held in Fatea on Monday, July 20:h for the purpose of selecting a Liberal caudidate to contest the Patea seat, At to-night’s meeting delegates will b.e appointed and other important business transacted.

Legislative Council Appointments. In the course of conversation with a Puess representative Mr Massey stated on Saturday that the hew appointments to the Legislative Council would probably not be disclosed until Wednesday weels.

General. Sir Joseph Ward on r Friday complained that he had been 'kept offseveral committees. v t Mr Massey retorted "that this; was I not intentional but if the Leader of the Opposition were looking for work ha would get plenty before -the Session was over. , . The Opposition party ace said to be somewhat chagrined that tife Ministers did not take the no-oonfidence debate seriously and reply to. the criticisms levelled at them. Mr G* W, Russell let the oat out of the bag ou Friday when he admittad that he had kept back his speech for the Premier.