IN THE HOUSE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1932, Page 5

IN THE HOUSE

THAMES BOROUGH

GRAVE POLITICAL SCANDAL.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, May 10

In the Legislative Council yesterday, a motion similar to that moved in the House, in respect of M. Doumer, was carried.

In tlie House of Representatives the committee stage of the Finance Bill ended at 2.10 p.m. 3 when the measure was reported to the House with amendments. . •

Mr W. E. Parry (Lab. Auckland Central), moved that the Bill be recommitted on the ground of the illconsiclered nature of the measure in its entirity.

The motjon was rejected by 36 votes to 21.

Third reading speeches were then commenced, but were interrupted to enable the introduction by the Gover-nor-General’s message, of the Thames. Borough Commissioner Bill, which makes provision for the appointment of a commissioner to have the temporary administration of the Borough of Thames,..in accordance with ..the agreement made between. the Thames Borough and its debenture holders, .

The Bill was put through all its stages and passed the third reading, Speeches on the Finance Bill oc« eupied the whole evening.

DISLOYAL PUBLIC SERVANTS

PROVISIONS IN FINANCE BILL,

WELLINGTON, May 10. Speaking in the qarly hours of this morning, the Hon. W. Downie Stewart replied, in the House of , Representatives, to the third reading debate on the Finance Bill.

The Minister referred particularly to the special power for the dismissal of disloyal public servants. He said that Mr Barnard had asked, whether public servants were to be debarred from being members of a political party. It had always been one of the cardinal virtues of the civil servant that lie took no active part in politics, beyond] recording his vote. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Holland): What about those who have been with the Reform Party? ! Mr .Stewart: It should not have

been allowed. Mr Holland: One was a member of/ the committee of the . Minister /of Public Works. 1

Mr Stewart-:' If that was- so, it wasisa quite wrong, and -should not have been allowed 1 .

He went on to say that- it was tha pride and glory of the public service that it did not participate in party ~i politics, and loyally served whatever Government was in office, The same -|£ rule applied in most countries m the | world. Referring to the Thames case, the .*« Minister said that he regarded it as | one of the gravest political scandals t that had occurred in New Zealand, m his memory. The Leader of the Opposition: But wasn’t it an isolated ease? Mr Stewart: Not by any means. It bias (obtained in practically every part of the Dominion. I recently had word that it was going on in Dunedin. It is impossible to suppose that such, a thing 'should be allowed to go on. The Bill was read the third time and passed. The House, rose at 3.30 a.m. until 2.30 o’clock, this afternoon.