Investigations in the Public Service.

Mr. A. L. Herdman (Mount Ida).—The public mind is at the present time impressed with the necessity of some need for reform in the public service. There is a sense of insecurity gradually stealing over the public mind. Every now and again we hear of inquiries being made into different branches of the public service. Just the other day we had an investigation into the position of the Police Force. It was discovered that in consequence of political influence a certain person had been appointed to the Police Force of the colony. That policeman after his appointment perpetrated a crime, and it was then discovered that before that policeman had been appointed to the Police Force he had some convictions recorded against him. There is an instance of the fact that incapable, inefficient, absolutely disqualified persons are occasionally appointed to the public service through Ministerial or political influence. This is one department that has been subjected recently to keen criticism and thorough investigation. But to pass on, we find that just lately the State Coal-mines Department is not being managed on bus iness- page 32 like lines. Here is another department that has been overhauled by a Commission. Further than that, we discover that the administration of the Land Department is so absolutely weak and inefficient that it becomes necessary to refer the whole question of land administration in the colony to a Royal Commission. That Commission travels through the colony from end to end in its endeavour to discover where the weaknesses are, and a report is presented to the House. Yet another department of the public service has to be investigated. Surely the fact that three departments have recently been subjected to outside criticism must go to show that there is something radically wrong in the methods adopted by the present Administration in controlling these departments. But it does not stop there. Recently we have the Controller and Auditor-General making an investigation into matters connected with various departments. I do not propose to refer to that matter just now. It is enough for me to mention it to show that, four departments having been investigated lately, there is growing up in the public mind a feeling of unrest: the feeling is growing in the public mind that they cannot trust the Government to administer effectively the departments under its control.—Hansard, No. 19, p. 147.