PASSES FOR WHARF

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9794, 18 October 1917, Page 5

PASSES FOR WHARF

T»HE POSITION OF POLITICIANS. Mr G. R. Sykes, M.P. for Masterton, complained in Parliament yesterday that when ho wished to give verbal farewell messages to certain lads from' his district whose next-of-kin could not come down to see them off, ho could not get a pass to go on to tho wharf. Ho applied for a pass at the office of the Minister for Defence, but the Minister’s secretary informed him that no passes were to be issued in any shape or form, not even to a member of Parliament. He felt that ho was expressing the opinion of all hon. members wliCn he said that they keenly resented such treatment. He wished to know why this privilege had been denied to members of Parliament Why should not their railway passes admit them to the wharf? (Hear, hear.) Sir Janies Allen said that there must be some misunderstanding on tho part of the hon. member. Mr Sykes: ‘'There was a» misunderstanding at all.” Sir James Allen stated that no passes were given, in his office, nor would they be. They bad to give every possible protection to prevent anybody who should not do so going on to the ivharfj and therefore passes were only issued by the authorised military or naval authorities specially gazetted, and by the Inspector of Police. If the hon. gentleman had applied to them ho would have got the pass. Mr C. H. Poole (Auckland West): “Should not a member’s railway pass pass him through?” Sir James Allen: “No; I will not agree to a member’s pass or even my own pass passing him through.” Even General Robin, Captain Tiall-Tbomp-eon, and all other officers had to get passes. It was their duty to make no exception whatever. Hon. members could get passes by going to the proper authorities. Ho had gone down himself the other day without his permanent pass, and would not use his member’s pass. They had a duty to perform, and no restriction could be too severe to make the men secure from danger to their lives.” (Hear, hoar.) Mr Sykes: ‘T can assure the Minister that his secretary informed mo that no passes wore issued by any authority. I suggested that I might secure a pass from Captain Hall-Thompson, but ho was definite on the point that no passes wore issued by any authority. The hon. member for Nelson also applied and received the same answer. Sir James Allen: “Then there must have been a misunderstanding on the part of my secretary. 1 am very sorry that tho hon. member did not come to roe me about it.”

Replying to a question by Mr J, Vigor Brown, the Defence Minister stated that a pass would be granted to a member only for a pnrtioular occasion.