Government Jobbery.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2094, 20 July 1887, Page 2

Government Jobbery.

[Wairarapa Daily.] ' MmiBTBKs of most civilized Governments notoriously befriend their suppoilere in preference to their opponents. Inis is Lot i. nian nature, and a .nan d ee not cease to ie buuiuu when he Ik-"ones a Minister. Dot such prefercei" s nmuuf Governments with , tiu- faintest v-ntentiouc to hon :v are shown openly, mu eve depraved Governments

t'H e -ily txcrci-i '-iv hj political patronage with S' ■ if. Mr to the public interest. All oihr-r !■ ui. g equal we set t.n jin-r «a» sou *1 '. mirt'is stinnid not urtim 'iieir pl:.f. ■ • p men li.niiy ~j 'iieir

t 1 uliarity of the Ktutit-o. l.'aoca c> .ion. tuwever, is that they have always pro r < •* 1 to be utterly sopciio; to even this semi-legitimate exeioise of the privileges ol power. The gentleman named have always draped themselves in the white robes of perfect political chastity - have always declared they took office to " save their country.” They possessed, t ; their own account, all possible excellencies, l ot if one jewel te the diadem of virtue wae more radiantly lustrous than another, it was their pearl of perfect parity of motive. Of such ssll--1 aubecribed paragons we have a right to demand incomparably more than of meeast men. Bat what have we found of them Bayards who declare themselves withorn tsar or reproach 7 Wo have fonnd their adniais* tration befouled by some of the graved scandals; even with their lofty proUstetiooe ringing in our ears we have been sickened by their ignoble practices. Tbs country steed aghast at their childish quarrels, end to eat (be time which toiling man paid -for wasted in exchange of paasiooete, but poarUs personalities. The country blushed to perceive that the political portrait# of theee men ; portrait# limned by themselves in all the warn tints d probity and Independence, revealed beneath the paint and padding, the skeleton lagan of greed and avarice clinging with tho tecr.oity of death so place, to power, and to emolument. The Ministry have jost been accused of perhaps the groaeaat of which they have yet been guilty. It is MB' that the mere pecuniary interests involved era, compared with the Btark end other similar imbroglios, comparatively small; bob the principal involved is large and important, and if, as there ie reason to snppoae, then are corresponding scandal* in the administration of onr Public Service not yet disclosed, ft is Indeed time the country should declare that Ministers, who so wrong ft by n scandalous pervsrsion 0 1 their function, should nsver again bold any office of trust in Mew Zeeland. Mr 8. ft. 0. Vickers, to M years an officer in the Native Department, writes to the Mew Zealand Tima* ol yeeter. day, stating that be has been discharged Iran the Native Department, by order ol the Native Minister, on the ground ol “ sirenerp retrenchment." The latter of dismissal contained tbi i-uukd or the Government tot lha " long aiid iu.i-Jui service ” (U yean) of Mr Vickers. If is almost needless to say that this gentleman has always been distingniehed lor his seal and capacity and hi* acquaintance with the affairs of his meat. Howsvsr, who can complain of neessfl tary retrenchment ? and 10 poor Mr baa to accept the conge, and start life on hie own account, eftsr a service ol s quarter ol n century, as best be migbt. But, mark tho outcome 1 Tbs salary ol Mr Vickers wan LBOO per annum, and the fact of his discharge and the saving of his salary was telegraphed throughout the colony. Here was stern retrenchment indeed I Thete Was, however, something not telegraphed. In place of Mr Vickers five subordinates were taken on, and tueir ■ .lutes aggregate I/i 74 yn annum. Thu-, .iislcua ol retrenchment, ue have uttaddiliuiial expenditure of L 574 a year, auitinoU i-i ol returning i-h ■ services ol an old, Uuf.vii nud tin a 0.., , r, we have live new men pit.Uioiked into hr position. Woo wc i >.in-se me-/ ? wfiem t' -*t 7a

having • ' ck.v «a in.iitealy po.r -t. Ol a. 1. ;i:u poWel OJ lOllUfLl •- . * We w u> t .ie question mi , ■ C of ' . u.. ..I- The person tc e u . cu.t . of a oewi.pap.ir u all , • . certain transactions with % • .0 name ol bn oaiiUß Vogel was allop u ino connected during the session before ,'iat.V l'he gentleman lo whom we allude i» remui-

able tor wielding a vigorous and emtio pen, which has beeu heretofore wielded against ti • Government, bis rciso-able toenppoea is will h* so employed no more. Mot does ,Ut Vioker* halt at a statement of the injwstioa done lo himself only. Hs prove* (hat the expenses of the Satire Department have i rormonaly inoreaaed, that the earing* nutg by Mr Bryce bare been spent, and the (hail lost Native Porvoaas Tote extended by mm LaOOd. The tnsuke ol lie eammnnlty an do* to Mr Vickers lor uaving toga of Um m«.s which concealed the wsatefaJ extrava- " e .pet of thaee Peokaoiffisn pnUtMana Id point out anything wbish tells agaianl thn Government is to open tbs floodgates ol thfg supporters' seartiliiy and abase. We Ihk neither, and will eontiane nnfUnohmgly M expose these groes inelsnoss ol jobbecy, and will leal ears that our readers ol potitfHl opinion will event sally thank os lor so Mag, We care not which party is In power M long as that party has lot leadon honeot rtoMt* man.