"GROSS ABUSE"

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 111, 6 November 1935, Page 10

"GROSS ABUSE"

MINISTER'S ACTION

WANGANUI SPEECH

MR. VEITCH PROTESTS

| The action of the Hon. R. Masters in addressing meetings of businessmen throughout the Dominion on the policy of the National Government while holding the portfolio of Minister of 'Industries and Commerce and the, leadership of the Legislative Council' was trenchantly criticised by Mr. W. A. Veitch, M.P., Democrat candidate for the Wanganui electorate, when speaking in Wanganui on Monday evening (reports the "Chronicle"). Mr. Veitch also roundly criticised | the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, an organisation which claimed to be non-political, for sponsoring a meeting called for the purpose of advancing the policy of a particular political party. "At the meeting of businessmen /last week addressed by the Hon. R. Mas- | ters two important and old-established j principles were violated," said Mr. Veitch. "Firstly, the meeting was held under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, a body which has all along declared itself to be non-politi-| cal in its views and actions and, with' that purpose in view, has induced businessmen of all shades of political thought to contribute to its funds. "The second principle violated, which is one of even far greater national importance, is that a Minister of the Crown who is not a member of the House of Representatives should travel around th£' Dominion while receiving a Minister's honorarium and accompanied by a Government paid secretary for the purpose of acting in the role of a political party organiser. This is unique in the history of New Zealand for before the appointment of the Hon. R. Masters to the leadership of the Legislative Council and a seat in the Cabinet the Leader of the Council never previously associated himself with party politics and party organisation. When a man is called to Cabinet and is not a Member of the House of Representatives it should be because that man has a special knowledge of a particular department and then he should keep to that department alone. "By the appointment of certain of its friends to the Legislative Council the Government has also appointed them as party organisers and has consequently been able to transfer the cost of its party organisation from its abundant party funds to the backs of the already overburdened taxpayers. Recently the Minister of Industries' and Commerce was relieved from the portfolio of Minister of Education, obviously to permit him to devote t he more of his time to party organisation. I consider that this move on the part of the Government is a gross breach of British government. "I am a firm believer in party politics but not in the party system that permits of this sort of action," said Mr. Veitch. "Originally the party scheme was one in which the various members clubbed together to formulate ! a scheme of political ethics to be j. placed before the electors for their i choice.. As the electors went to the | polling? booths to register their votes they would record their votes for the candidate whose party's policy appealed to their individual wishes. When this scheme was in operation it did I much for the benefit of the country and the people of the Dominion. But all this is now changed. We have a Minister of the Crown travelling through the country as a political party organiser and drawing his salary as a Minister of the Crown. This is a gross abuse of party politics."