MR. SEMPLE'S SON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 226, 23 September 1936, Page 12

MR. SEMPLE'S SON.

DEPARTMENTAL POST. QUESTION IN THE HOUSE. > « ON HIS OWN MERITS." i (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) 1 WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A request to the Minister of Trans- - port, Mr. Sernple, to shite whether a :• rumiur that his son had been appointed : as a traffic inspector in the Transport Department was true was made by Mr. i S. G. Holland (National, Christchurch North) during the debate on the Public . Works Statment in the House of Representatives to-night. Mr. Holland said he had no comment to make on such an' appointment if it had been made, as lie believed, that the son of a Minister should have the right to get the appointment if he had the necessary qualifications. The Minister*of Labour: What are you squealing about? Mr. Holland: I'm not squealing, but I want to give the Minister an ,opportunitv of saying if it is true that his son has been appointed and if he thinks he has the necessary qualifications. "I am sorry the member for Christchurch North descended to a paltry level when he mentioned the appointment of my own son to the Traffic Inspector's Department," said Mr. Semple, later in the debate. "There was an insinuation in the question that I may have used my influence as a Minister of the Crown to pet my son into a public position. i I want to assure him that I would not i descend to a level of that kind. My son j lis a citizen of New Zealand, horn in 1 this country, and he has the same right as every other citizen to make applica- j tion for any position. The Public Service Commissioner appointed my son on f his merits and because of his special |

qualifications after about fifteen years' experience of that kind of business. I had nothing to do with the' appointment and I hope the member for Christchurch North is satisfied." Mr. Holland: Perfectly satisfied. Mr. Semple: I have never used my position to help any of my relatives to secure an appointment that could not be justified or held on their own merits. I have climbed to where I am on niy own merits, and I want my own boys to do the same.