Uncertainty over vacant Labour bench

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 4

Uncertainty over vacant Labour bench

By CEDRIC MENTIPLAY Wellington

When Parliament reconvenes next Monday for the nne-day session to mark the Royal 'visit, there will be a gap in the Opposition front bench. The double bench on the left of Mr Speaker (Sir Roy Jack) will have one occupant only — Sir Basil Arthur.

His benchmate in last rear’s session was Mr C. J. Moyle, whose resignation brought about the Mangere by-election, to be decided next month. No decision to reorganise Labour’s front bench has been made. It is believed that the vacant seat will be left as a sort of memorial to a valued member. Undoubtedly, the Labour line-up will be reorganised before the main 1977 session, which is likely to begin in the third week of May. It is

probable that Mr B. G. Barclay (Christchurch Central) will be brought forward from the back bench he occupied last year, although not necessarily to a front bench. There is some feeling in the Labour Party against the perpetuation of an “exclusive” front bench. Protocol may be varied so that the Opposition “lead’’ positions are more widely dispersed. It is probable that the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) will announce the new Opposition committee groupings at the end of the week. He is planning to increase the number of committees and to see that each Opposition member is on two of them.

Each member will be allocated spokesman status on several subjects and each committee will cover a related group of subjects. Last year, there were eight such committees. There could be as many as 12 this year.