FULL RIGHTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 181, 1 August 1936, Page 12

FULL RIGHTS.

PUBLIC SERVANTS.

BILL OF FOUR CLAUSES.

APPLICATION OF FUNDS

(By Telegraph. —Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Friday.

The Political Disabilities Removal Bill, though consisting of only four clauses, deals with vital principles. The full title is, "An Act to remove certain disabilities that afreet the political rights of public servants or that prevent the application for the furtherance of political objects of the funds of associations of public servants and workers."

The ibill provides that a public servant may become a candidate for Parliament, but that if he is elected he shall • forthwith be deemed to have vacated his office in the Public Service. It is further provided that a public servant who becomes a candidate for Parliament shall not be entitled to receive any- salary for the period he is absent from duty.

Clause Repealed. Clause 3 of the bill repeals section 59 of the Finance Act, 1932. That section provided for the dismissal of any public servant guilty of conduct calculated to be disorderly or to incite lawlessness, or who, by statements intended for publication, sought to bring the Government into disrepute, or whose conduct was gravely inimical to the peace, order, or good government of New Zealand.

Provision is made in clause 4 that certain associations may apply part of their funds to the furtherance of political objects. This clause states: —

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the funds of any society may be applied in the furtherance of political objects if a majority of the members of the society so decide by a resolution for the time being in force, passed on a ballot of the members of the society taken in accordance with the rules of the society or w>.th regulations made in their behalf under this section.

(2) Any such resolution may be at any time revoked by a subsequent resolution passed in the same manner as such first-mentioned resolution was passed. Any Society. (3) The provisions of this section shall apply to any society, notwithstanding that there is no provision in the rules of the society authorising the use of its funds for the furtherance of political objects.

(4) For the purposes of this section "society" means:—(a) Any society of public servants consisting of not less than 15 persons, and primarily associated for the purpose of protecting or furthering their interests in connection with their employment; or (b) an industrial union registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1925; or (c) a trade union registered under the Trade Unions Act, 1908.