CHARGES OF TRICKERY

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30234, 12 September 1963, Page 14

CHARGES OF TRICKERY

Bill Defeated In Committee [From Our Parliamentary Reporter] WELLINGTON, September 11. A claim by the Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr Hanan) that the Waitangi Day Amendment Bill was defeated in the Maori .Affairs Committee during the five minutes he was called away to speak on the telephone to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) was one of a number of charges made in a heated debate in Parliament this afternoon. After the committee chairman, Mr P. B. Allen (Govt., Bay of Plenty), reported to the House that the committee recommended that the bill be not allowed to proceed, charges of trickery were made by members of both sides.

Although the amendment that the bill be referred back to the committee was talked out. Government members expressed their conviction that the measure would eventually go back to the committee.

The uncompleted debate will be before Parliament again tomorrow afternoon. Previously it was expected the debate, which was interrupted by the tea adjournment, would have gone to the bottom of the order paper.

“I must in fairness explain that Government members of the committee were absent on other Parliamentary duties,” Mr Allen said in making his report to the House. "This weakness of committee work has been apparent on many occasions, but in my opinion it is a pity that legislation which means so much to Northland and which is a further step in the Waitangi legislation, should not be allowed to proceed. "Under this legislation Northland, with the exception of Rodney county, would have had recognised the significance of Waitangi Day and other local authorities could have asked tor the same rights had they so desired.”

Mr Allen said representatives of the county giving evidence before the committee felt their community of interest with Auckland was so strong as to be inseparable. An amendment excluding the county would have been moved in the Committee stages. Attendance Details Giving details of absentees from the committee, Mr Al-

rlen said apologies were received from Hr H. R. Lapwood (Govt, Rotorua) who was absent on urgent public business, and from Mr T. Omana (Opp., Eastern Maori), who w r as unable to attend because of illness. "During the discussions on the short title of the bill, Mr G. F. Sim (Govt., Waikato) had to leave the committee to carry out his duties as chairman of the Social Services Committee and Mr H. E. L. Pickering 'Govt.. Hurunui) was required to be present ait the deliberations of another committee.” Mr Allen said.

"The greatest pity, I think, was that during the debate on the short title, the Minister of Maori Affairs was sent for urgently by the Prune Minaster and had to leave the committee. "Soon after the Minister’s departure the .iebate on the short title collapsed, and as chairman I had to put the question. I know that the Minister regrets that his vote had not been recorded on the question that toe bill be reported back to the House "It is worthy of note that the three Maori members themselves, including Mr M. Rata (Opp.. Northern Maori),joined with Mr W. Nash 'Opp., Hutt) in voting against the short title while Mr D J Maclntyre tGovt., Hastinfis) and myself voted for the measure.” Heard Evidence Mr Allen said the committee heard evidence from the secretary of the Municipal Association who said that had a bill been introduced to make Waitangi Day a national holiday it would have been strongly opposed. The Federation of Labour had stated that it was dangerous practice for any Government arbitrarily to amend awards and industrial agreements made in accordance with the procedure of the Court of Arbitration.

The committee was also told that there was ample precedent for Government action in this direction. The Municipal Association had said that if the Government intended to operate clause three of the bill without reference to the opinions of local people then again the Government would run into strong public opinion. "The Minister of Maori Affairs gave an assurance that the Government would not operate clause three without reference to the people of the district.” Mr Allen said. Mr Nash said all the evidence given before the committee was against the bill The key to Waitangi Day was that the people wanted it for all New Zealand. The Rodney County Council was in favour of the bill but did not want to be included. “It seemed to me the majority of the committee were in favour of it being a national holiday,” Mr Nash said. “It should be a holiday for the whole of the Dominion not just for the people in the area where it was signed.” Mr L F Sloan (Govt., Hobson) said he was very disappointed about the recommendation of the committee. •

“I can’t understand why we can’t have our holiday and I feel so strongly about it I will move an amendment.” Mr Sloan then put forward his amendment. He read a statement attributed to Mr Rata that he (Mr Rata) could not oppose the bill but did not think it went far enough. A burst of jeering rose from the Government and Opposition benches and the Speaker (Mr Algie) commented that neither this bill, nor any other bill, was worth the sacrificing of the dignity of the House. Mr Rata said what he had said in Kaikohe had been correct at the tithe, but since then circumstances had changed. “The bill would have divided the Maori people not only in New Zealand but in the Rodney county. Nothing is stopping Northland making a holiday on February 6,” he said.

‘The treaty should be honoured by the whole country, not just those people north of Rodney county.” “Played Politics”

. Mr N. J. King (Opp.. Waitemata) said this was one occasion when the Minister has played politics and failed. In spite of the bill’s importance, only two Government members were present to vote and, at the eleventh hour, it was disclosed more evidence was forthcoming. “This is the most astounding report I’ve ever heard from a select committee." he said. “It’s over to the Government to accept it. It's their bill.” The Postmgster-General (Mr Kinsella) said there was supposed to be a Parliamentary usage preventing members referring to other members as absent. He thought the bill should be referred back to the committee.

Mr J. G. Edwards (Opp., Napier) accused the committee chairman of being bungling and incompetent He said the chairman had agreed to members leaving the committee to make up a quorum elsewhere wtoen a vote was pending. The Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr Hanan) should have remained there for once, Mr Edwards said. He was frequently away from this committee, and also from the Statutes Revision Committee.

Mr M- Moohan (Opp., Petone) said the intention of the bill was to win the Northern Maori seat for the National Party. “There is no question of this,” he said. From the time the bill was introduced, said Mr Moohan. he was convinced that the Minister himself did not want the bill to pass. If he had, he would have made sure there was a majority of Government members present when the committee considered the bill. “He is no innocent in politics.” said Mr Moohan. “Oh no. He never really wanted it to go through. He wants to make a martyr of him self.” Bill Explained Mr Hanan said the bill would enable January 29. the anniversary day common to the whole of the Auckland province, including Northland. to be transferred, as far as Northland was concerned. to February 6. Waitangi Day. It would not be Monday ised. Waitangi Day would always be observed on February 6. but the Government's legal advisers said a bill was necessary to ensure that workers had a paid holiday on the Monday in years when Waitangi Day fell, and was observed, on the Saturday or Sunday. “Why then. does the Labour Party oppose this bill?” he asked. He predicted that when the bill was referred back to the committee—and he would make sure that next time the committee would recommend that the bill be allowed to proceed—the Labour Party would “get on the band waggon

"My Government was not in favour of an extra holiday which would cost about £3 million in production.” said Mr Hanan. “But I would urge this as an initial step. I thought that my Maori friends opposite would grasp at the opportunity to make a start.

He denied the allegation byMr Edwards that he had been at Only one meeting of the Statutes Revision Committee “I have been to five Statutes Revision Committee meetings just recently. It is true that I was called away by the Prime Minister on a very important matter. In the’ five

minutes I was away the four Labour members had voted against the short title. “It was a trick, but a trick that did not work because this bill is going back to the committee.”