M.P. resigns from Govt to sit as Independent

Press, 8 March 1978, Page 1

M.P. resigns from Govt to sit as Independent

PA Wellington Pakuranga’s member of Parliament, Mr G. P. A. Downie, who missed selectio- as National candidate for this year’s General Election, yesterday announced his resignation from the party. He will sit in Parliament as an Independent. Mr Downie, who has been a member of Parliament since 1972 and had a majority of more than 7000 at the last election, said: “I realised it was a pretty intolerable situation which existed.” He said he had made no decision yet on standing as an Independent in Pakuranga but would consider any approaches to him to do so. National Party members in Pakuranga last vear selected Mr P. deV. Hunt as candidate for the General Election in place of Mr Downie. Mr Downie, who has just returned from leading a Parliamentary delegation to India and Japan, telephoned the Prime. Minister (Mr Muldoon) yesterday afternoon to tel] him of his decision. “I found him very considerate and very under-

standing,” said Mr Downie. “I don’t think he or anyone else has had reason to doubt my loyalty to the National Party during the time I have been a member.” Mr Downie has been active in the party for more than 20 years and was at one time Mr Muldoon’s Tamaki electorate chairman. Mr Muldoon was not available last evening to comment on Mr Downie’s resignation. The president of the National Party (Mr G. A. Chapman) said the news came as a surprise. “I can understand his disappointment at missing the selection for Pakuranga, but I hope he will reconsider his decision to resign from the party,” he said. There was no question of his reconsidering the decision. Mr Downie said he had had no communication from the party on the decision of its rules committee which had decided, while he was overseas, that Mr Hunt’s selection was valid.

Last month, Mr Chapman said Mr Downie had been approached in New Delhi through diplomatic

channels about the rules committee ruling. But Mr Downie said the only call he had had was from Mr K. Morgan, the leader of the pro-Downie faction. He said he had

heard from no-one in the party organisation, though his itinerary was well known. Asked if he felt he was being eased out by the party, he replied: '“They

don’t let you down gently. They push you off the cliff.” “It does appear the National Party is not interested in having discussions with me at any level at all,” he said. “I have not taken this decision lightly and I realise the consequences,” he said. ' Mr Downie’s resignation means he will no longer be a member of the National Party caucus. But he said he hoped he would be able to continue as chairman of the Parliamentary social services committee which, among other matters, has been considering the drug problem in New Zealand. Mr Downie had discussions on drugs during his recent visit to Singapore and Hong Kong. Commenting that he was well aware of Government policy and legislation, Mr Downie said he would continue to support this as an Independent. The last M.P. to sit as an Independent was the late Mr Harry Atmore, a former Minister in the United Party Government, .who represented Nelson as an Independent until the 19405.