V.LP. FLIGHTS Resignation Of Howson Refused

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31522, 9 November 1967, Page 15

V.LP. FLIGHTS Resignation Of Howson Refused

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, November 8. The Australian Prime Minister, Mr Holt, said this afternoon that the Government would not accept the resignation of the Minister of Air, Mr Peter Howson, aged 48.

Mr Holt announced this in the House of Representatives todayafter Mr Howson had replied to charges that he had misled the Parliament over the V.LP. fleet.

The row began on May 13, 1966, when Mr Holt told Parliament that no records were kept of flights made by the R.A.A.F.’s V.LP. squadron and that no passenger lists were kept. Mr Howson was not a person who would “wilfully mislead Parliament,” Mr Holt said.

“We do not think his mistakes warrant us accepting his resignation.”

Mr Howson said he had felt it necessary as a responsibility to his Parliamentary colleagues to inform the Prime Minister that he was prepared to offer his resignation.

Mr Howson, in a statement to the House on the V.LP. flight, said he had failed to establish as soon as he might have the fact that passenger records were not maintained.

“It is true this led to further and subsequent misunderstanding,” he said. “It is true I might have taken further steps. “These things in sum have had no unhappy results in terms of the operation of the flight, or the discovery of any grave misuse or abuse of the service.”

Mr Howson added that he had taken steps to ensure that future records on V.LP. flights were kept properly in the Department of Air.

Djakarta Protest.—Several thousand Indonesian students today marched to the office of the Acting President, General Suharto, in a demonstration against the soaring price of rice and essential commodities. —Djakarta, November 8.