Mr. Seddon voted for all reductions proposed when he saw that they were likely to put a check on extravagant expenditure. On several occasions, however, he rose to protest against competent officers in the Civil Service being referred to in terms of condemnation that were not deserved. In this debate, also, the miners and the West Coast figured prominently. While in one breath he condemned the Government for appointing too many new officers, in the other breath he asked that coal mine inspectors should be appointed, especially in Westland. He protested against the increase of inspectors generally, but said that more inspection was badly needed on the goldfields and coalfields, where mining was being carried on without regard to proper ventilation or to precautions against accidents.
Mr. Seddon’s grasp of the manner in which the different departments had been conducted took the Government by surprise. He repeatedly nonplussed Ministers by asking for particulars of some appointment or some expenditure, and, on not receiving a satisfactory reply, supplied the information himself and commented upon it with vigour. It was not only the Mines and Public Works Departments that he treated in this way, but he also turned his attention to the Government’s dealings with the educational system, the dairying industry, and other undertakings. Nothing seemed to come amiss to him.
higher field of duty for a man than to faithfully serve the country; and its corollary, that the position of such a man should be held in the esteem and given the consideration due to it; to promote by every possible means and influence the passing of such a constitution as has been granted to the civil and public service of England, and of nearly all her colonies—a constitution that shall establish, once and for all, the position, rank, and status of the New Zealand service, and of all its various branches and members; shall lay down comprehensive and well-defined lines of classification, promotion, salaries, organisation, and general service; shall free the service from the injurious influence of patronage and from the possibility of unnecessary and uncalled-for interference, at the instigation of political or party motives; and shall ensure that just and honourable independence which is already granted in other parts of the Empire; to collect forthwith all the Acts and Statutes, papers, reports, etc., dealing with the organisation of the public service in other countries, so as to enable the same to be carefully studied and collated by a committee of the Council of the Association, in order that the broad outlines, if not the details, of a measure may be laid down which shall promise to achieve the results already pointed out as so desirable, and which may be agreed to by the service of the whole colony before the meeting of the new Parliament.
