PUBLIC SERVANTS AND POLITICS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 30 November 1927, Page 7

PUBLIC SERVANTS AND POLITICS

CANDIDATES AT NEXT ELECTION MR HOLLAND ASKS A QUESTION. (Special to Tribune.) Parlt. Bldgs., Nov. 30. The Prime Minister was asked by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. JI. E. Holland, in the House of Representatives yesterday, whether he proposed next session to introduce legislation to enable members of the Public Service to become candidates for Parliament at the next general election without being compelled to resign their positions and forfeit their superannuation rights. “I suppose,” said Mr. Holland, “that the Prime Minister knows that a number of public servants are likely to be candidates at the next election 1” Mr. Coates replied that he had not been taken into the confidence of the public servants in the way that' Mr. Holland had. “I was speaking from the party point of view,” replied Mr. Holland. “I was thinking of all the servants rvho will be Labour candidates; ’possibly there will be Reform candidates. ’ ’ Mr. Coates: I have not had an indication of one who is going to stand in the Government interest. (Laughter). Mr. Holland: Is it as bad as that! (Laughter). The Prime Minister said he doubted very much whether they could really make it more convenient for public servants to take up politics. Mr. W. 8. Glenn (Rangitikei): If they had any sense they would stick to tbeir jobs. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central): You look after Rangitikei. Mr. Coates said that he knew the position quite well, but he would say that Mr. Holland’s question could qquite well be answered next session. “I will bear it in mind,” concluded Mr. Coates, ‘‘and let him know whether any alteration is lil eiy to be made.”