MEMBER AND MINISTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 6

MEMBER AND MINISTER.

Fair-minded men of all parties will sympathise with Sir James Parr in his affair with the member for Patea. On July 15 Mr. Corrigan said in the House that it was very significant that a Minister owned all the land adjacent to the site of a new railway station on the Kaipara line, and that the land was going to be cut up for the Minister's benefit. The area is in Sir James' electorate, and the public is therefore led to believe that he is the Minister referred to. Though Sir James and the Prime Minister denied the charge, and Mr. Coates pressed Mr. Corrigan to clear the matter up, this was not done. Sir James has now written to Mr. Corrigan asking him whether the statement refers to him (Sir James Parr), and, if so, inviting him to repeat it outside the House; and, if not, calling on him to name the Minister he has in mind. These requests are quite proper. Mr. Corrigan, however, replies that he has "written for the particulars," and will give them immediately they are received, and that if it is necessary to apologise he will do so. Naturally Sir James Parr says in reply that the inference is that Mr. Corrigan spoke first and inquired afterwards. It will be the public's inference as well. The existence of Parliamentary privilege is no excuse for a member making such a charge without having first made sure of his facts. It is not fair to keep Ministers in general, and Sir James Parr in particular, waiting under this suspicion. It is now three weeks since the charge was made, and in the interests of Ministers' and Parliament's honour, it should be substantiated or withdrawn unreservedly at once.