State Socialism 125 



the public service having been over-manned with 

 nominees of various members of Parliament, who 

 seldom cared whether the servants they forced 

 upon the country possessed any special fitness for 

 the work they were supposed to do. A strong 

 manifestation of public feeling took place through- 

 out Australia in consequence of this practice, and 

 it was abolished, the public service being removed 

 nominally at least beyond the sphere of politi- 

 cal influence. 



But there is another class which demands, and 

 frequently obtains, employment from the Govern- 

 ment. These are the mechanics and artisans of 

 the cities, who may have been thrown out of work 

 owing to a temporary slackness in the trades in 

 which they are customarily employed. Such 

 dull seasons not infrequently occur in the Aus- 

 tralian cities, and the out-of-works congregate 

 upon some spare plot of ground, listening to the 

 speeches of men whose one cry is that it is the 

 duty of the Government to provide them with 

 employment. These meetings of the unemployed 

 usually end in a march to the Government offices, 

 where the leading agitators demand interviews 

 from members of the Ministry and from the Gov- 

 ernor. Should they obtain the desired interview, 

 they demand work as a right, referring to the 

 many public works it will be necessary to con- 

 struct in the future, and suggesting that some of 

 these shall be put in hand at once, the cost to be 

 met, of course, from borrowed money. These 



