PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1923, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

-MINISTERS AND BY-ELEOIONS. Criticisms of Ministerial tactics during the recent by-elections at Taurauga and Oamaru were made in the House during the debate on the Ad-dress-in-Reply. Air AY. A. Veitch (Wanganui) took up the matter and said the law required amendment in several directions, judging by ceitnin conduct at these by-elections. It was extremely unlair to a candidate opposed to the Government that while he was limited to £2OO for his own election expenses a Minister of tiie Crown might enter the electorate in support of the. Government candidate and spend an unlimited amount of public money, hiring halls, traversing the district and employing his staff on electioneering work. The law should be amended so as to bring within the limit of £2OO the expenses of a Minister if he chose to enter the field ill support of a candidate. Under existing conditions the Prime Minister might travel through the electorate, hire halls on his behalf, hire motor-cars and do all sorts of things without restriction. Such a position of affairs was wrong and unjust. Furthermore an amendment of the law was required to bring Ministerial promises made during an election campaign within the limit of bribery and corruption. At present it was Tammanyism within the law, but Tammanyism of the ■worst-

type. Mr Massey: Why cannot you make a coherent speechp Air Veitch: I could if the Prime Minister would behave as lie should out of his own mouth. Air Veitch next quoted a question which Air Massey put in the House in 1895, addressed to the Minister in charge of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Bill. Mr ALi ssey’s question

was whether an amendment would he accepted that Ministers making offers or promises to the electors, either directly or indirectly, with the object of influencing an election .should be deemed guilty of corrupt practices, and Mr .Massey added that the interference of Ministers for or against candidates was most objectionable and should be stopped. A few years later Air Massey on the same subject, had pointed out that Ministers’ expenses during such interference were paid by the taxpayers. TAUHANGA TACTICS. Interest increased when ATr \ r eitch touched on Tauranga incidents. Ho first dealt with certain transactions in which the lion C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, had a luiiid. Reading from documents. Mr Veitch showed that on February 13th the Minister of Education wroto to the Alorrinxville education authorities that their request for the establishment of a district high school could not be complied with, that as section 88 of the Education Act had not been complied with it would he very inexpedient in a case like Morlinsville for the Department to act without the decision of the Council ol Education. “It is therefore clear.” concluded Air Parr’s letter, “that neither the Department nor the Alinistcr can legally constitute the high school.” “But” said Air Veitch, “two days after the death of Sir AVilliam Merries and nine days alter that letter, the A fillister of Education wired to Morrinsvillc as follows:— ‘Referring to representations made on behalf of 'Sir William Horries urging the establishment of a district high school at Alorrinsville, 1 have to-day discussed the matter with the Auckland Education Board, :.nd have agreed to three mouths trial being given on a definite understanding that if the attendance is not kept up the school will he closed immediately. If the numbers are kept up it will, of course, he permanent.’ ’ “So.’ commented Air Veitch, find as soon as the Minister ol Education learns that an election is about to take place ho telegraphs sauctiouthe establishment of the school, at le;7st temporarily, in contravention o! the law as quoted in his previous letter.