Ministers “Insulted” By Branch Remit To Party

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30452, 28 May 1964, Page 1

Ministers “Insulted” By Branch Remit To Party

The Minister of Transport, Mr McAlpine, yesterday threatened to resign at the annual meeting of the CanterburyWestland division of the National Party, and the Minister of Finance, Mr Lake, threatened to consider his position in the party.

Both Ministers stpod on the rostrum in the National Party 7 rooms while they told delegates they objected strongly to a remit from the Rangiora branch.

The remit was: “That the Prime Minister be urged to take steps to ensure that Cabinet Ministers are masters of their departments for which they are responsible, and not mere spokesmen for their senior civil servants.” After' Mr McAlpine and Mr Lake had ob- ■ jected to the remit, the meeting, with one dissenting voice from the back of the room, agreed that the remit should be withdrawn. “I don’t think that sort of statement should be made without giving illustrations,” shouted Mr McAlpine after Mr M. Bowron, of Rangiora, had moved the remit. “If that is a motion, I will resign. I think it is a gratuitous insult by people who have not given any thought to the subject whatever.” Mr McAlpine said he had i never allowed any departmental officer to dictate to him. Rather, he said, the Iboot was on the other foot. Departmental officers had information which Ministers could not possibly have. “I personally resent the attack on Cabinet Ministers,” he said. “I think it (the remit) is a gratuitous insult to suggest what it does—that Ministers are products of the influence of departmental Officers.”

Mr McAlpine shouted: “If this remit is passed I will have to consider my position entirely.” Mr Lake jumped to his feet and quickly mounted the rostrum.

“I think Mr McAlpine has bit the nail on the head.” he shouted. “I agree entirely with what he said. “There is no Minister in the National Government who' i does not do his job, who does not control his. department land does not run it.” It might be true, said Mr I Lake, that Ministerial state-; ments might not always be [couched in the best Mr Lake said he read Min-’ isterial statements before I they were issued. I “If I don’t li.ke them, I change them into my own language.” he said. “If you; want a legal job done, your lawyer provides you with a ! statement to the court. “No bureaucrat or depart-: ment has tried to impose any-1 thing on me, and never will. I “I resent very much what this remit suggests, and for everyone to read in the newspapers that Ministers are not doing their job,” Mr Lake said. “If this remit is going to be passed, I will have to consider my position in the party.” The acting-chairman of the meeting (Mr E. S. F. Holland) quickly took the floor, saying: “I must say at this stage I must agree entirely with what the Ministers have said. 1 think no other inference can be taken from this remit other than what has been stated.” Purpose Of Remit Mr Bowron then said that, in view of what had been said, he did not wish to proceed with the remit. “The purpose of the remit was to invite members to consider whether we are enabling our Cabinet Ministers to get on with their jobs in the way they should, whether we were taking up too much of their time asking them to go to too many functions.” Mr Bowron said. Before the remit was introduced, the acting-chairman I i commented: “1 hope some'

> gentleman from Rangiora has ■ his armour-plate on.” Mr Bowron, speaking to the remit, said:— i. ’"I think Cabinet Ministers 11 are victims of the system. I ;; am not meaning to criticise i j Cabinet Ministers. They can’t | organise their lives in the • ways that they would like to. • | “We invite them to every • ‘bun-rush’ in the country. . They’re spending too much • time at various functions — j speaking to various functions —and are not able to carry’ on the job they were ap11 pointed to do. 11 “I don’t think it is a fair ■ thing that Ministerial statei! ments which are made appear ito be prepared by civil serI vants, and sometimes I doubt -.1 whether they really reflect the .lopinions of the Minister concerned.” Demands On Ministers Mr J. B. Bayley (Rangiora). supporting the remit, said: — ‘ “If what Mr Shand was ’ suggesting last night comes ' into being, there is danger ' there. 1 think the party heads , should lie alive to it.” [Mr Shand, the Minister of Labour, speaking at Ihe open- ' ing of the division’s annual ! meeting on Tuesday night, expressed the fear that the Prime Minister (Mr Holy- ' oake) would kill himself if ' he did not “slacken off a ! bit.” He also said that Cabinet Ministers today were I finding it difficult to cope , with their work. | i When the remit had been • withdrawn a delegate asked that a vote of confidence in Cabinet Ministers be passed > This was carried with loud ■ clapping. ; A woman delegate quickly i rose to her feet and asked • whether “it would be possible i to ask the press reporters to i delete this remit.” The woman's question was not answered. After a few seconds’ silence, ilthe meeting continued with i• the next remit.