“CRUCIFIED" FOR DOING DUTY

Dunstan Times, Issue 364, 14 November 1932, Page 3

“CRUCIFIED" FOR DOING DUTY

MR MACINTOSH BEFORE PRIVILEGE COMMITTEE

i WELLINGTON, November 4. I The evidence given by Mr Alexander ! Macintosh before the Privilege Committee of the House was revealed today, when the report of the committee was laid before the House. It showed i the dramatic nature of the proceedings, 1 and Mr Macintosh’s refusal to reveal the nature of the evidence before the commission.

Mr Macintosh refused to answer any questions relating to the source of evidence upon which he had formed his conclusions.

Asked by Mr H. E. Holland if he had attempted' to get his addendum incorporated in the general report, Mr Macintosh said he had not. He refused to give his interpretation of the term “ making of inroads on the Treasury,” an expression which he had used in his addendum.

“ My statement is there,” said Mr Macintosh, when pressed further by Mr Barnard. “ 1 stand by that statement absolutely. I do not know what you are trying to get at. 1 am not going to interpret it.” “Surely, Mr Macintosh, you can give us some evidence ns to what members of Parliament have done?” asked the chairman of the committee (Mr Smith). Mr Macintosh; No, it would be coming very near to something 1 do not wish to say. I am very sorry about all this. Nobody feels this more than 1 do. It amounts to this—l was sent there as a member of the commission to do a certain duty, and I did that duty. Now lam called here and asked to take back what I have said. Is not it most humiliating? I won’t be humiliated; there it is.” The Chairman: No member here wants, to humiliate you. Mr Macintosh; I say that is my view of it. It is a humiliation; it is no use putting me on the rack like this. What I have said 1 have said, and I stick to it. I said it on the most pronounced evidence. You can do what you like with me, but that is all 1 can say.

Mr Forbes explained that all the committee wanted was to do justice. That was not unreasonable, and no man should feel humiliated.

Mr Macintosh: “ Well, I do. I wag sent there to do a certain duty according to my conscience. Have T done wrong in doing that? ” Mr Forbes: I have expressed our indebtedness to the members of the commission, and have thanked them. Mr Macintosh: You won’t get me at the task again, never under any consideration.

Mr Forbes: It was a very difficult one? Mr Macintosh: I actually damaged my eyesight oyer it. I was continuously looking into matters there for five solid months, and this is what I get—to be held here and crucified in this way. Tbs. Chairman You must not say that. Mr Macintosh: Well, I do say that, and I do feel that, too, and being held up to ridicule in the House. It is a disgraceful thing, I think, to have this reward for doing my duty. When told by the chairman that he could not continue in that strain, Mr Macintosh said that he was very sorry that there should be any fuss about it. but he had his own self-respect to consider. _ . The Privilege Committee’s finding in respect of Mr Macintosh was: “With reference to the statement by Mr Macintosh concerning members of Parliament in his addendum to the National Expenditure Commission’s report, the committee stated that Mr Macintosh had declined to explain his references, and, while the committee regretted this attitude, it recommended that, in view of his advanced age, no further action be taken.” The following was Mr Macintosh s addendum to the National Expenditure Commission’s report, to which exception was taken: —“An individual expression of opinion in conjunction with a general concurrence in the views set out in the report may be of some service in respect to certain features that have come prominently under observation, and it may therefore not be out of place to state briefly that evidence adduced and information otherwise at the disposal of the commission indicate unmistakably that the financial difficulties under which the dominion is at present labouring are in large measure attributable to the people themselves, through their representatives in Parliament, many of whom by way of placating constituencies and possibly securing continuity of membership have year alter year made inroads on the Treasury for various objects in numerous instances with no prospect of an adequate or any return on the expenditure involved. Unpalatable though it be thus to apportion the blame, affording as. it mayscope for attack under cover of Privilege, when outspoken adverse comment is sometimes unfortunately not appreciated, it is nevertheless a fact that research and evidence prove incontestably the accuracy of this statement.”