Comment From The Capital Diplomacy Solves Marking Deadlock

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29911, 27 August 1962, Page 10

Comment From The Capital Diplomacy Solves Marking Deadlock

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, August 26

The tactful tactics of the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) at Hie Post Primary 'teachers’ Association conference produced swift and satisfactory results in the School Certificate marking fee dispute. By last Friday it appeared that a new understanding hail been reached and Mr Tennent was entertaining the whole of the P.P.T.A. executive to morning tea in his ministerial office.

fri his speech to the conference on Monday. Mr Tennent urged the meeting to revoke last year's conference resolution "with the threat in it that no School Certificate papers would be marked this year unless the fees were raised to the satisfaction of the national executive." Impressed. perhaps, by the Minister’s frank and businesslike approach to the issue, and by his now widely quoted “I could perhaps have been more diplomatic," the conference did what he suggested Some time ago., the Combined State Services Organisation took up the case of the teachers; but it was the organisation's deputation to the Prime Minister, the chairman of the Cabinet, committee on Government Administration (Mr Shand) ind :he M’nister of Justice (Mr Hanan) that ultimately broke the deadlock on the last day of the conference Mr Tennent was away at Feilding attending on the Governor-General " during a farewell visit to his electorate

In the struggle ' over the "narking fees, the Education Department received 1100 applications from prospective substitute markers to fill 380 marking positions at 5s a oaper. But the Minister of Education is planning the •arly appointment of someme to consider and reconcile .he views of the department md the teachers, and make ’•eco’ T '" , 'endations on the fees for 1933. The New Order Things have changed greatly in the field of "question and answer" in the House of Representatives For many years the right of a private member to demand and receive an answer from a Minister on any relevant subject was the preserve of the Opposition back - bencher Under the old system questions would be asked and would receive full publicity Some weeks later the Ministerial answers would be published in a Supplementary Order Paper, and half a dav was set aside for debating 70 or more answers.

Now the question is asked and the answer given on the same day. The emphasis is c i the answer rather than the question As a result, some Opposition back - benchers have tended to drop out Their place has been somewhat gleefully taken by Government back-benchers some of whom at times have come perilously close to em-

barrassing their Ministers. One consequence is that a Government man. Mr R. D. Muldoon (Tamaki) is leading in the “Question Derby." He rarely misses an opportunity to ask a question, and has put in as many as four in a single afternoon.

The leading questioners, with their “scores" to this week-end, are as follows: Mr Muldoon. 40; Mr A. J. Faulkner (Opposition. Roskill), 32; Mr J. G. Edwards 'Opposition. Napier), 26; Mr J. B. Gordon (Government, Clutha), 25; Mr P. Blanchfield (Opposition, Westland), 21: Mr W W. Freer 'Opposition Mount Albert'. 20 South Island members in "The Press" circulation area have fared as follows: Mr H. L. Pickering (Government. Hurunui), 11; Mr H J. Walker (Government. St. Albans). 10; Mr S A Whitehead 'Opposition Nelson). 7;

Mr M. A. Connelly 'Opposition. Riccarton). 5: S.r Basil Arthur (Opposition. Timaru), 5; Mr W. E. Rowling (Opposition. Buller), 4; Mr N. E. Kirk (Opposition. Lyttelton), 4 It hardly needs to be said that the worth of a member should not be measured by the number of questions he asks. T.A.B. Closing The most diligent questioner on behalf of the punter is the Labour member for Westland (Mr P. Blanchfield). For some weeks he harassed the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Gotz) on aspects of the Golden Kiwi lottery. His latest inquiry, also .of Mr Gotz. concerns the Totalisator Agency Board, and should be answered on Wednesday. Mr Blanchfield wants to know whether, in view of the statement by the board upon its inauguration that the closing time for accepting offcourse bets would be shortened when possible, the Minister would confer with the board on implementing the 40-minute limit, as in Queensland. Broken Melody In the long, repetitious hours during which the cotton mill has been discussed in the House, one Government member has been polishing this verse with which to celebrate the eventual passing of the Commonwealth Fabric Corporation Bill: Sing a song of diapers hanging on the line, Winceyeltes with pussy-cats and ribbons gag and fine, “When the Mill is open,” the Labour Party sing. “The joyful folk of Nelson will all the church bells ring.” Sutch leas In his counting-house with Lewin counting pence. Nash was in the garden sitting on the fence, Whitehead tn the Nelson sent uas counting up the votes. When down swooped Keith I'oti/oake and cut their (ruddy) throats Moving To West port Some of the arduous business of looking after the Buller electorate will be eliminated by its new member of Parliament (Mr W. E. Rowling) when he and his family move next week-end from their brand-new house in Taylors avenue, Fendalton, to Roebuck street. Westport. Since being elected, Mr Rowling has spent almost all his free time in the Buller. To cover his big territory in week-end visits, he often has to fly from place to place on the small airline that serves the area. Though he leaves a house which was just completed this year, he will at least see more of hio family of three young children when they are in hta electorate with him.