Question On Import Licence Rejections

Press, Volume C, Issue 29554, 1 July 1961, Page 12

Question On Import Licence Rejections

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 30. The likelihood of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr B. E. Taiboys (Government, Wallace), becoming known as the “Abominable No Man” was the subject of a question asked in the House of Representatives this morning by Mr W. W. Freer (Labour, Mount Albert).

He gave notice to ask the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall)) whether it was pure coincidence that the small number of letters approving import licence applications or adjustments were signed by the minister, while the much larger number cf letter declining such requests to the minister were signed by his under-secretary. He also asked whether the minister was aware that the procedure, if continued, would be likely to result in the under-secre-tary becoming known as the “Abominable No Man.” Mr Mathison (Labour, Avon) asked the Minister in Charge of Tourist and Health Resorts (Mr Eyre) whether the Government intended continuing subsidies or grants to outside organisations and if so. whether they would be paid on a project-based system, and would he list the organisations eligible to participate.

Mr J. G Edwards (Labour, Napier) asked the Postmas-ter-General (Mr Kinsella) whether rates to farmers, and for persons on rural automatic exchanges, would be brought up to a profit-making position, or whether they would continue to be heavily subsidised by urban telephone users.

Mr M. A. Connelly (Labour, Riccarton) asked the Minister of Justice (MrHanan) whether he had see#

a report of an English appeal judge (Mr Justice Devlin) suggesting that a public defender be established and whether he would consider a similar office being set up in New Zealand Mr Justice Devlin had said responsible opinion favoured a change in the law so that evidence gathered by the police be made available to the defence. At present there was no procedure for this. This problem could not be solved simply by saying that the defence was to have unlimited access to anything obtained by the police. “It could be tackled by the creation of a Public Defender. In criminal trials a great deal of forensic laboratory evidence is not available to defence counsel.

"An impartial officer could decide what evidence mignt properly be passed to the defence in the early stages This would give an accused an earlier defence and result in saving a great deal of public money.” the judge had said. Mr S. A. Whitehead (Labour, Nelson* drew attention to the refusal of two Melbourne commercial television stations to accept Labour Party advertisements and asked the Minister of Broadcasting (Mr Kinsel'a) to advise what steps he intended to take on the use of television for political purposes in New Zealand.