Clash Over Narcotics Bill

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31135, 11 August 1966, Page 18

Clash Over Narcotics Bill

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 10. The Under-Secretary of Finance (Mr Muldoon) accused the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) in Parliament tonight of “trying to slip out from under” the Narcotics Bill. Mr Muldoon said that during debate on the Customs Bill this afternoon Mr Kirk had interjected it was not true that he supported the Narcotics Bill. “There has been some criticism of the Narcotics Bill, which was passed through this House unanimously last session,” said Mr Muldoon. If the Leader of the Opposition had changed his mind the House and the country wanted to know why. “There were one or two members who expressed reservations when the bill came before 'the House last year but they did so frankly and honestly,” he said. Mr Muldoon said Mr Kirk had been a member of the Statutes Revision Committee which dealt with the bill. Mr Muldoon said the police had told members of Parliament that an international drug ring was looking to New Zealand as its next victim. “This legislation was introduced to nip in the bud this vicious traffic which is threatening New Zealand.” Mr Kirk replied that the

member for Tamaki (Mr Muldoon) seemed to have appointed himself the “conscience of Parliament.” “What the member said tonight is downright untrue,” said Mr Kirk. The Speaker (Sir Ronald

Algie) ruled that a member could not make allegations that something said by another member was untrue. Mr Kirk then suggested that any statement such as Mr Muldoon’s was not founded in truth or honesty.

The Minister of Transport (Mr McAlpine) asked if Mr Kirk was entitled to say that. “I think it is one of the most degrading things I’ve heard in I this House,” he said. Mr Kirk said he was responsible for an alteration to the Narcotics Bill while the Statutes Revision Committee was considering it. The provision !in question involved infringeiment of rights. The committee agreed that certain powers stipulated in the bill were dangerous and the point in question was rewritten. Mr Muldoon might be well advised to make certain his accounting of events was not coloured by envy, jealousy or spite, but was founded on fact, Mr Kirk said. The Opposition was concerned about the effect of narcotics in this country, said Mr Kirk. Very considerable power had been vested under the act, however, and it was open to very considerable abuse if the officers empowered chose to abuse that power.