PARTY POLITICS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 33, 9 February 1939, Page 14

PARTY POLITICS

MR. NASH REBUKED

SOCIAL SECURITY

AOTEA QUAY BUILDING

surprise and regret that the Minister in Charge oil Social Security (the Hon. W. Nash) should seek to introduce party politics into the discussion about the erection of the new Social Security building in Aotea Quay was expressed today by the President of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce (Mr. P. E. \ Pattrick). { Eeferring to the resentment expressed I yesterday by the Minister to the re-1 marks made by him in moving the resolution at the'meeting of the Chamber of Commerce on, Tuesday evening, supporting the decision of the City Council to make representations regarding the alignment of the new building, Mr, Pattrick said that the Minister could not have read the report at all carefully. "The facts are that for over twelve months the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, the Wellington City Council, the Automobile Association, and the Beautifying Society have taken an active interest in the lay-out of Aotea Quay," said Mr. Pattrick. They have had several conferences between themselves, and have made representations to the Railway Department and the Harbour Board as to what would be the most effective roadways, etc., '■ after giving due consideration to the factors of safety, economy, convenience, and beautification. They have also been ikept informed as to the development of the City Engineer's plans is this matter. Moreover, the Chamber of Commerce knew at its meeting on .Tuesday evening that the building was 'being erected; it knew also what the alignment was to be to Aotea Quay, and was. aware that it was proposed to have some access at the back of the Social Security building. It is therefore obvious that the Minister had ho ground whatever for saying that the Chamber of Commerce knew noth- ' irig about the site. ACTIVELY INTERESTED. "The building line appeared to the City Council to be a question to which the Government had apparently not given full consideration, and the council decided that representations should be made to the Government on the subject of the building line. The Chamber of Commerce, having been actively interested in' this question for a' long time, perceived the importance of the point raised by the City Council, and supported the council in its action. If the subsequent discussions that have taken place between the Government and the City Council have i now resulted in satisfactory arrangements being made between the parties, as now appears to be the case, then there is nobody more pleased than the Chamber of Commerce. i : "The Minister says that I criticised the Prime Minister. All I said was: "!Surely it is ridiculous to suggest that anyone who, before the foundations are laid, urges that the building should be set back is anxious to sabotage the movement.' "In view of all the foregoing it will ,be seen that one cannot take seriously the suggestion made by Mr. Nash that I have assisted In the building up of a body of opinion hostile to the Government. I am not aware that any of the public bodies which have been concerned with this building-line question, including the Chamber of Commerce, are in any way hostile to the Government in the matter. lam surprised and sorry, that Mr. Nash should seek to introduce party politics into what is purely an administrative question."