BACK BENCH FOR MISS HOWARD

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27734, 11 August 1955, Page 14

BACK BENCH FOR MISS HOWARD

MR SIM CRITICISES OPPOSITION (From Our ParUOTnentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, August 10Was the age of chivalry dead? asked Mr G. F. Sim (Government, Waikato) in the House of Representatives this evening, when he referred to the relegation to a back bench of Miss M. B. Howard (Opposition, Sydenham), a former Minister of Health, when seats were allocated after the new Parliament assembled. Miss Howard joined with other members of the House in mock grief oyer the action of her party in not giving her a seat on a front bench. Mr Sim said it was not for the Government to intervene in any family affair of the Opposition, but Miss Howard had been selected as a Minister of Health. She had given loyal and faithful service, and discharged her duties well, at least to the Labour party’s way of thinking. ; *lt is a shame that she has now antarently been cast aside,” said Mr Shxu “I would have thought that the XJfiiorr of the Opposition (Mr Nash) wbuld have Leen in the forefront of those carrying the banner of chivalry. Where are those members of the Opposition who claim they are the champions of the widows and of the spinster**” There wu loud laughter, and Miss Howard pretended to wipe tears from bar eyes. “You've got her widowed a bit too soon,” interjected the Minister ol Internal Affairs (Mr S. W. Smith). “She's got the sympathy of this side of the House, if not of our opponents,’ said Mr Sim. “The age of chivalry is dead," said the Minister ol Health (Mr J. R. Hanan).