PUBLIC SERVICE CONTROL

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26832, 10 September 1952, Page 10

PUBLIC SERVICE CONTROL

MR HOLLAND REPLIES TO QUESTIONS “NO COMMUNISTS IN SECURITY POSTS” (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 9. There were no Communists in security positions in the Public Service to-day-, including the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the External Affairs Department, and the three armed services, said the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) when the estimates of the Public Service Commission were being considered in the House of Representatives to-day. No transfers for security reasons, he added, had taken place since the passing of the appropriate act last year. It was, however, true that one known Communist had left the service.

“We have not yet reached the position in this country, and I hope we never will, when we say Communists should be hounded out of office.’’ said Mr Holland.

The discussion was initiated by Mr A. H. Nordmeyer (Opposition, Brooklyn), who asked whether complete unanimity was reached on all decisions of the two-man Public Service Commission or, if it was not, whose opinion was paramount? Mr Nordmeyer said that though by the Public Service Amendment Act last year it was set down that the commission was to consist of not more than ' , three members, the commission had been functioning with two. “How is any difference of opinion resolved?’’ he asked. “Do they draw lots? It is too much to suggest that two members would always see eye to eye.” He suggested that the phenomenal number of appeals indicated that there was not complete satisfaction with commission decisions.

Mr M. Moohan (Opposition, Petone) said that when the Public Service Amendment Act was introduced last year there had been talk of Communists in the service. But the commission in its report had said there were no Communists in the service. It had further said, that any transfers for security reasons had been justified. How many transfers for this reason had taken place? he asked.

Office Accommodation Mr W. W. Freer (Opposition, Mt. Albert) said that the Government was failing to face the serious problem oi office accommodation for the Public Service. Half of the 12,700,000 square feet of office space occupied by departments was on lease. What was being done to centralise the various departments and bring them into one building in each centre? According to the commission’s report the Broadcasting Service in Wellington was housed in 11 different buildings. Mr Holland asked Mr Freer whether he would prefer builders to be taken away from housing for the construction departmental buildings or left where they were. To Mr Nordmeyer he said that the Public Service Commission had reached unanimous decisions. The reason for so many appeals this year was the regrading in the service, members of which were “fairly appeal minded.’’ The number of appeals being heard was exactly the same in proportion as in 1947. when the last regrading occurred under the Labour Government.

Mr Moohan said it had been proved conclusively that all the alarms and scaremongerings raised by thp Prime Minister and his 'colleagues on Communists had come to nothing. Mr Nordmeyer said that if the chairman and member of the Public Service Commission were always unanimous, why have the commission? “Here is a good way to save money,” he said. •

Mr H. R. Lake (Government, Lyttelton): Do you want to dismiss some public servants?

Mr Holland: Move to reduce the vote. Come on. come on. Mr Freer said there was greater justification for building departmental accommodation than the giving of permits for “indiscriminate facelifts” to buildings throughout the country. The vote was passed.