DISABILITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 185, 6 August 1936, Page 10

DISABILITIES.

CIVIL SERVANTS. BILL FOR REMOVAL. THIRD READING CARRIED. RIGHTS OF THE MINORITY. (By Tolecrraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) W ELLINGTON, Wednesday. To-day's sitting of the House of Representatives was taken up entirely with consideration of the Political Disabilities Removal Bill, which was put through all stages, the adjournment being taken at a few minutes past ten.

Ihe short title was debated for nearly two and a half hours. The Opposition pressed for a division, but the clause was retained by 33 votes to 9.

Speaking to clause two, Mr. Savage said he would have an amendment made in the Legislative Council providing that a civil servant must obtain leave of absence before commencing an election campaign.

Clause four, giving certain associations the right to apply part of their funds for the furtherance of political objects, was challenged, but was passed 'jy 34 votes to 10.

Ihe bill was then read a third time and passed.

Discussing the short title, Mr. Hamilton (National, Wallace) declared that the Government was running amok with democracy. It was denying the rights of the minority or the'rights of those conscientious objectors who objected not so much to joining the unions but to putting their funds to political uses. They had a right to expect better treatment.

Mr. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn) said that every measure the Government put through created a conscientious objector. The only way to stop creating conscientious objectors was for Parliament to go into liquidation and stop legislating.

Sir Alfred Ransom (National, Pahiatua) said that it had been the practice of aIJ previous Governments to allow the public servants full freedom in regard to the exercise of their votes. The clause relating to party funds was one of the most extraordinary proposals placed before the House. "I venture to say that if any organisation uses its 'unds other than for the support of the Government it will be a very poor lookout for that organisation," he declared. "I say that without any vindietiveness. Tt is a dangerous principle." " Dragged Into Party Politics." Sir Alfred added that the country would be amazed that :public servants were to be corrupted—he used the word advisedly--by being dragged into party politics whether they liked it or not. Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford ): Did the public servants ask for the right to give their funds to political mrties ? : The Prime. Minister: Yes. I have -pent a lifetime with thpse in the Public •ervice and outside it, and l|tjdnk I know what they want.. I am. not messing. Mr. Parry, Minister of"" Internal Affairs, charged the Leader of,the Opposition. Mr. Forbes, with attempting to to the house that the only reason why the public servants were giving •>uch valuable service to the country was because their rights of citizenship were restricted. He had also inferred that the Public Service would have to show its gratitude to the Government for the legislation that had been passed.

Mr. Armstrong, Minister of Labour, ■ a aid that there had been a reism of terror in the public service.- "Public servants were not' allowed to have a conscience," he said. "Unless it guided them in the direction of supporting the Government." ° ,

Political Propaganda. ' Mr. Coates (National, Kaipara) referred to'' a statement by Mr. : Barclay (Government, Marsden), that civil servants had been compelled to resign from membership of the Labour party. . He said he would challenge any member to show one case;of a civil servant being compelled to resign his position because he was a member of the Labour party. "I'm afraid the long bow seems to have caught on a- bit," he added. "This is a little bit of political propaganda. We all know the game." Mr. Semple, Minister of Public Works, referred to Section 59 of the Finance Act, 1932, and said that as a result of that provision large numbers of civil 'servants had resigned from the Labour party. To give the public servants equal political rights would not interfere with the public service or affect their loyalty.

Mr. S. G. Smith (National, New Plymouth) contended that it was wrong, that 51 per cent of the members of an association should compel the other 49 per cent to contribute to a political party. He asked the Prime Minister to provide that a secret ballot should be held.

Mr. J. Thorn (Government, Thames) said that immediately after the enactment of Section 59 of the Finance Act. resignations of , civil servants from branches of the Labour party were received in shoals. In one case 'twothirds of the members of a branch resigned because of fears due to the enactment of that Section.

Mr. R. A. Wright (Independent, Wellington Suburbs) said that civil servants were not loyal to any political party but were loyal to the Government of the dav.

Mr. Forbes. Leader of the Opposition, paid that if party politicians were allowed in the public service, endeavouring all the time to forward the interests of their political party, it would create a feeling that would not make for efficiency in the public service and for thr> maintenance of the goodwill that should exist and had existed in the past.