SERVICE BILL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29684, 30 November 1961, Page 18

SERVICE BILL

Passing After Exchange (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 29. “The honourable member is making the Chief of Staff out to be a liar,” said the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) during a sharp exchange in the House of Representatives tonight during the third reading debate on the National Military Service Bill. The measure was given a third reading by 40 votes to 28. Mr Shand was referring to Mr P. G. Connolly (Opposition, Dunedin Central), the former Minister of Defence, who he said had claimed that a letter on the Labour Government’s recruiting policy drafted by the Chief of Staff in June, 1960, for the Minister to send to the R.S.A. was the opinion of the Chief of Staff. “That is the sort of tactie that the Opposition traditionally descends to.” said Mr Shand. In a sharp exchange In which Mr Shand said that the deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr Skinner) had “wandered down a treacherous path,” Mr Shand was obliged by the Speaker (Mr R. M. Algie) to withdraw the remark. Mr R. M. Macdonald (Opposition, Ponsonby) interjected: ‘‘He wants hi« head read." Mr Shand said that during the three years of Labour's army recruiting only 275 volunteers had completed their basic training. The Government realised that compulsory training would not be popular but was prepared to place New Zealand in a position to meet her commitments.