SPEECHES BY NAVY MEN

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 120, 17 November 1932, Page 18

SPEECHES BY NAVY MEN

ARE THEY ALLOWED ?

The right of the; personnel of. the Navy to discuss poiitieai questions was raised in the House of Bepresentatives last evening during.the discussion on the Naval Estimates. :

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland) said that the Minister of Defence (ths. Hon. J. G. Cobbe) knew the position of the P. and T. Department, and he would,like to. ask him if the same rule applied to the-Navy. The P. and T. Empjpye.es'. Association was •JS?S|? d Fecognitionbecause it was claimed •it" had taken, political action. Mr. Holland said that he had heard a political speech from a Navy officer in the .last four or five weeks; and he wanted to. know whether1 the naval ratings had the same -right as the officers to make speech.es. . He, was, not desirous of. taking away any'rights," but he though that every man in "the Navy should have-tho-same •"right- "as the officers.

The Minister "said" "that "hehad -not read the speech. He had always heard tho Navy spoken of as "the silent Navy,'? and as a rule the naval officers did not make speeches.- He .thought it must have been in connection, with defence matters. The men had a right to vote. ■.•■-■

Mr. Holland: What is the :rule regarding speeches? ■

The Minister: The- general 'nile in the Army .and Navy is to-avoid politics. Mr. F. W. Schxamm (Labour,' Auckland East): There is a special rule in the .King's Begulations.