M.L.C. INELIGIBLE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 150, 20 March 1936, Page 10

M.L.C. INELIGIBLE

Mr. Michael Connelly’s Appointment VALIDATING MEASURE TO BE INTRODUCED There has been a technical hitch over the appointment of Mr. Michael Connelly to the Legislative Council. He was one of the 14 new members appointed last week by the Labour Government. As an officer of the Railways Department, Mr Connelly is not eligible for the position. Au official statement was made oil the subject last night by the Prime Minister, lion. M. J-. Savage, who said that one of the first pieces of legislation to be submitted to Parliament for consideration would be a measure to validate Mr. Connelly's a ppoi n tmen t. “At the time the appointment was made” the Prime Minister stated, ‘‘it

was overlooked that Mr. Connelly was an officer of the Railways Department and was, therefore, ineligible for such appointment by reason of Section 2 of the Legislature Act, 1908, which provides that no person shall be summoned to the Council who is, or within the next preceding six months was) a civil servant. In these circumstances, Mr. Connelly, having resigned from tiie Railways Department, it is considered desirable to validate the appointment from the date it was made, and the proposed measure will provide for the necessary validation. Mr. Connelly will, of course, not, sit in the Council until the validation has been completed.”