Mr Holyoake Defends Caucus System

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30626, 17 December 1964, Page 26

Mr Holyoake Defends Caucus System

(New Zealand Prezz Azsocialion)

WELLINGTON. Dec. 15. Countering Constitutional Society criticism of the caucus rule system, the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said today all legislation was intensively scrutinised and amended when necessary, before going before Parliament Sir Matthew Oram, president of the society, had claimed in a newspaper statement on Monday that development of the caucus rule in poltcal parties was a method of short-circuiting the traditional Parliamentary system. “It is taken to extremes if it means that once a bill is approved by the Government caucus it cannot be amended no matter how clearly the Opposition may show the amendments are desirable,” said Sir Matthew Oram. Sir Matthew Oram cited the “extraordinary statement” by the Minister of Finance (Mr

Lake) who said he could not accept amendments to the Reserve Bank Bill because it had been considered by Government caucus. The Prime Minister replied that the Reserve Bank Bill had been drawn up after representations made to the Government by interested parties—and it had been thoroughly debated in the House. “Quite a number of Government and Opposition amendments had been agreed to in the second reading debate. “The Government is there to give a lead to Parliament, and after most careful consideration, the Government gave the lead on this bill," he said. Mr Holyoake said there had been no change in the caucus system since Sir Matthew Oram had been a member of a caucus. “New Zealand is as democratic as any other country I know of,” he said.