N.Z. LEGION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 535, 19 May 1933, Page 5

N.Z. LEGION

(Press Assn.—

and civil service FOUNDER WANTS THE POSITION MADE CLEAR VIEWS 'OF MR. BEGG

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

Masterton, Thursday. A statement published in Wellington papers that the Public Service Commissioner, had stated that no public ser'vant would be permitted to join the New Zealand Legion, was referred to to-night by Mr. Caxnpbell Begg, President of the Legion. Mr. Begg said he was axxxious to have the position clear at once. He had no doubt that the National Council of the Legion would consider the position earnestly land with full consideration of thei Government's point of view, and -if satisfied that the objection to civil servants joixring the movement, was hased on solid ground would form an auxiliary, in which there could be no possible ohjeetion to membershim

The Legion's position, he said, would undoubtedly be, 1. that the undoubted right of the civil servant should not be taken from them. 2. That the Legion should not be deprived of constructive sources which existed in the civil service land which might ixnd no effective clxannels 'at present. 3. That nothing should be done to undermine the zeal and loyalty of public servants to the State, but rather that it should be prompted hy whatever the viewpoint of the individual was. It was impossible that ixnprovements ixxi the form of administration in recent history had produced exiamples in which suspicion had arisen, and that in certain countx-ies, the Governments in power might have attempted to use the public service and its vote to strengthen their own position. He felt that this danger had only to be mentioned to let those in New Zealand see how impera.tive it was to make clear tbeir attitude in the matter was that no action, however well conceived in itself should be open to a false interpretation hy those most concerned.