POLITICAL OUTLOOK

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 63, 12 August 1965, Page 3

POLITICAL OUTLOOK

"What will it be — 25 | South Island seats and an extra Maori seat, or 26 I South Island peats?" This is likely to be the offer made to the Government by the Opposition as a face-saver and guarantee of the passage of the Electoral Amendment BiU. For the first time this session, the Opposition appears to have the Government over a barrel. The Bill has to be passed by a minimum of 60 members, and the Government just has not got that kind of majority. But appearances can be

aeeeptive. The Government itself was showing signs of a counter - attack last week, and that attack may also be a frontal one. "All right. This is the first time you've mentioned Maori seats. We think they should all go, and the whole voting system be integrated. We're all New Zealanders, aren't we?" If this happens, the Opposition t(and the Maori members) will be in a cleft stick. Integration could be wonderf ul — but what would happen to the Maori mandate? Could Labour bear the shock? * * * A few eyebrows have been raised in Wellington at the fact that the Secretary of Jnstice, Mr J. L. Robson, left last week for a three weeks' overseas vi^it — at the time of the greatest penal crisis in New Zealand's history. No one has disputed the fact that Mr Robson will get good value from his trip. He is to attend the third United I Nations Congress on the preI vention of erime and treatment of offenders, at Stockholm.

The conference was to have begun last Sunday and to finish nine days later. It is held once every five years and is attended by penal admmistrators from many countries. But in spite of the possible gains to New Zealand penal administration of the furthering of Mr Robson's knowledge, pome people were critical of the fact that he should be away at such a time of crisis. They pointed out decisions of an urgent and important nature were to be made about the same period. The future of the Mt. Eden gaol has to be decided as well as finality reached on con-

struction of the Paremoremo institution. Numerous problems associated with the transfer of the Mt Eden prisoners were also cropping up. It is understood that Mr Robson himself was reluctant to continue with his trip but that the Minister of Justice, Mr Hanan, felt the opportunity of his mixing with top overseas penal experts was too good to miss. Possibly the most interesting aspects of developments in prison administration has been the fact that officers at Waikeria have been told, or at least given to understand, they may shoot

at escapers in certain circumstances. Officials in Wellington have made it clear that the no-nonsen s e measures mentioned by Mr Hanan mean essenti a 1 1 y that offieers may shoot to wound if escaping prisoners will not stop when ordered. This means that there could be some fatal occurrence at Waikeria over the next three years, a prospect which many feel will do mueh to deter security-risk prisoners held there from attempting to break clear. * * * Initial reaction in Wellington to the new system of selling Mammoth Golden Kiwi tickets has been favourable and officials are now awaiting reports from country districts on the success of the scheme. They had been concerned at the criticism expressed by country people of the old selling method and hoped the difficulty of buying tickets in country areas would now be resolved. * Scepticjs are saying the Government hasn't received what it wanted

from its adviser on the use of Kapuni natural gas, Mr J. G, Shattuck, of H. Zinder and Associates. They believe the Government wanted Mr Shattuck to say quite firmly what course it should adapt and then if things went wrong, Mr Shattuck might be "the man in the gun." Reports suggest that Mr Shattuck had advised one course of action and mentioned a number of alternatives, leaving it to the Government to make the final and most important decision. If this is so it may yet be some timo before action to develop the gas and oil reserves is taken. — N.2LC.N.A. Newa Service