Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Personal Volume

Spoils to the Victors

Spoils to the Victors.

But what had happened under the present Government? Men were appointed to office because of their political opinions. He would assume there were two men of equal ability and character, and they applied for an office; one was a supporter of the Government and one an opponent. Which would get the office? The supporter (A voice, 'Quiteright.') Those who said that were old Tories. (Laughter.) Let them frankly discuss the matter. Why should any man be debarred from holding office because of holding certain views? There was just as much right to insist on a religious test as a political one. He, however, would tell them what was done in 1886. Mr. Ballance had been a party to the Bill. The Civil Service Reform Bill had been brought in, and its object was to take political patronage out of the hands of the Government. . This Bill had been carried in that form. The wish had been to open the doors of the public service to the young people of the colony, both male and female, and he (the speaker) and those with him said these young people would have to go into the service as cadets, and would have to pass an examination once a year, and those who stood highest in the examination list were to get the office. (Hear, hear.) They were not to be asked what their views or opinions might be. If they stood highest, and were physically fit, they had the office. That was a Liberal measure. But what had been done? That law had been violated and got aside. Cadets had been appointed because of their father's opinions He would give one instance. A young cadet stood 73rd on the list; there were 50 cadets before him on the list who were entitled to the office before him. But he had been appointed. Why? Because of his ability? No, but because his father was a political supporter. If his hearers would go to the Free Library and look up the Blue Books, they would see 24 cadete appointed who had no right to be appointed, and who had been so in violation of tho law. Some of these did not pass any examination at all. Some did not even compete. Why should a cadet who had spent time and trouble trying to pass, and who succeeded, be set aside simply because be might have, perhaps, no father behind him with Strong 'Liberal opinions?' This was not only not Liberalism, it was a violation of the law, and chose who talked of carrying the banner of spoils to the victors were degrading the name of Liberalism. (Appiause.) The Government, too had attempted to bribo the press of the colony. Let people look at the returns made, and they would find the larger share of the advertisements given to papers of the right colour. Sir Robert then went on to give instances. Passing on, he said in a Liberal Government they should have an executive that was law-abiding How much democracy depended on this, Democracy could not exist except it existed by law; whenever an attempt was made to violate the law, it bacame an autocracy. Respect for the law must be at the basis of true Democracy. [f there was no respect for the law and no obedience, then it was admitted that democracy had failed. Hardly a month elapsed but what the Government brashed aside the law when it came between them and any scheme they wished to carry out?. They had done this in scores and hundreds of instances. They set aside the Public Revenues Act, and declined to give information about the accounts. At the Christ-church election they wilfully held back the writ in order to see if they could not got that eminent statesman, R. M. Taylor, to stand. They paid no attention be the law. And he (the speaker) warned the people of New Zealand that if they allowed the young to be trained in a want of respect to the law which the people themselves had made then they could not call themselves a Democracy.