NOT AN ATOM OF TRUTH IN STATEMENT.

Chronicle (Levin), 14 November 1946, Page 7

NOT AN ATOM OF TRUTH IN STATEMENT.

WELLINGTON, Nov. 13. The following statement was made tonight by .Mr. \V. 3. Polsou: "I ua s absolutely aslonislied to read in the Press loniglit, u letter sent by Mr. J. Turnbull to Mr. Holland at his Wellington odice and his further comtnents on the statement wrongly alieged to havc been made by Mr. Corbett in Taranaki. The letter was reccived in Mr. Holland 's otiice late yesterday afteniaoii wliilc lie was aw;ay from Wellington. In his absence 1 communicated with Mr. Corbett by telephone and l'ound the true tacts from liim. Early this morning a telephone messago was sent to Mr. Turn bull inforniing liim of the reply which was being sent. Tlie reply was delivered by persoual mcsseuger at 11 o'clock. It reads as follows: — " "To Mr. J. P. Lewin, president, Public Service Association, Wellington: I am in receipt of your ielegram ot November 12 in regard to tiie reputed statement by Mr. E. B. Corbett, M.P., regarding (loing without tens of thousands of civil servants. Mr. Corbett' whose reputation for integrity is well known 'in Taranaki, has given nie his persoual assurauce he has never lnade or thought of making the statement you refer to and that on the niglit following Ihe publieation of his speeeli iu which the statement appeared, he emphatically conLj-adiet.ed it. 1 have ask ed hiin to see his contradiction gets full publicity. He has undertaken to do so. May I quoto, l'or your inforuialion, tlie published poJicy oi the Natioual Party on this quesLioii which has been sub svribed to by every candidate for the Party. It reads as follows: — Tlie Na tioual Party lias the highest a|»prfeciation of New Zealaud's civil service which, iu a 11 its branchos — public service, post and telegraph, raihvays, teaching profession, police and others compares pnore than favourablv with similar services iu other countries. The civil service continues to uphold the highest traditions of integrity, ellici encv and eourtesy to the public. Where dithculties have arisen tliey have been tracoable to tlie present jiractico of aiqiointiiig political friends to key positions regardless of those who liave made tlie civil service their career. The National Partv's policy is (1) Nonpolitical control in rcspect of appoint nients and promotion; (2; Reiuuneration to civil servants on a scale at least pquivalent to that paid by private enterprise; (3) Vacancies iu the civil service, including the police force, to be advertised; (4) 1'olice otHcers to be given the riglit of appeal; (5) Traffic. supervision to be coordinated with the liolice forcej- (6) Kental. liouses for civil servants subject to transfer. ' "In conclusion and 011 liehalf of the Party, may I say there is not an atom of truth in the statement that the National Paitv will dismiss anvone in the service if returned to office. On the conlrarv, its ]iolicy is to build up and not to tear down. . . j "O11 behalf of tlie Party and its leader. — Bigned W. J. Polson. ' "Apparentlv Mr. Turnbull and Mr. Lewin are not . desirous of liaviug the truth stated. Notwithstanding the assurauces they have received from Mr Corbett and myself, they have pre"ferred to circulate ' a statement calculated to damage the National Party in the general election. They well Jviiow the pledges which Mr. Holland and all other National Party candidates have given 011 this qucstion. They also know the old political trick of circulating a lie and leaving the other fellow to catch up with it.' It is hoped liieno iiers of the civil service will not be rnislcd by thq, tactics to which those cxecutive o.'Hcers liave dcscended but will rely ujion assiH'a'nces which our, leader and his caueTidates have given." I 1 111 O