Super. comment ‘misreported’

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34120, 5 April 1976, Page 18

Super. comment ‘misreported’

f.N’.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, April -1. A Press Association report printed on Saturday misreported remarks which had been accurately reported on Friday afternoon, an Auckland University senior lecturer in law. Dr D. R. Mummery, said today. Referring to the AttorneyGeneral’s reported staying of the proceedings brought by several unions against an employer for alleged breaches of the New Zealand Superannuation Act. 1974. he had said that the Attomevi General’s action was “techinically correct,” though not a normal use of the Summary Proceedings Act, and that

I the real question was why he did it, Dr Mummery said i today. | “I did not say that his acItion was ‘a very dangerous development’. What I did say ■ was that ‘a verv dangerous :development’ was the Cabinlet’s purported attempt. late I last year, to suspend the New Zealand Superannuation Act. 1974, without the consent of Parliament. “I said: 'The Cabinet told the people they need not follow the law. The Cabinet is not Parliament. Only Parlia- ■ ment can change an act of I Parliament. This is one of ■ the great safeguards of our j system. That’s why we have I Parliament.’ “I went on to quote the 1688 Bill of Rights, which is in force, as law, in New Zealland,” he said. j “The first operative sec'tion of the Bill of Rights jsays: ‘The pretended power jof suspending of laws . . . I without consent of Parliai merit is illegal’.” Dr Mummery said he had ■ added that his comments! i were made “quite apart from I politics.” “As the matter has now (been brought before the courts in another form and iis sub judice, this present (statement is intended only as a correction of a report of remarks that were made iprior to my learning of the (commencement of the new litigation.” he said.