NO STAR CHAMBER

Evening Star, Issue 22618, 9 April 1937, Page 7

NO STAR CHAMBER

REPORTS AVAILABLE TO BUSINESS CONCERNED INDUSTRY AND THE BUREAU [Pek . United Peess Association.] * WELLINGTON, April 8. “Mr Mander found it necessary to wait until he retired from the office of secretary of the Manufacturers’ Federation before making his extravagant criticism of the policy of the Government in regard to its treatment of considerations affecting the interests of industry,” said the Minister -of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G, Sullivan), referring to-night to the Press report of a statement made by Mr, A. E. Mander. “ This warrants the'conclusion that Mr Mander’s estimate of the competency of officers of State departments i.s not shared by the responsible and representative organisations of those interests with which he has been associated. “ The most regrettable aspect- of Mr Mander’s statement,” Mr Sullivan continued, “ is that he casts doubt on the honesty of the Public Service and of present and past Governments —if not directly, then certainly by implication. It is surprising, indeed, that this accusation was published by the responsible Press. 'lt seems to me to be blowing hot and cold to talk of respect for public officers in the same statement in which their honesty is impeached by a suggestion which I think is only one degree worse than to refer to responsible public officers as clerks, and which is scornful of their capacity to carry out an intelligent investigation. ■ _ " Mr Mander’s statement, that the opinions of investigating officers are not made available to the ' business affected and that' the Bureau of Industry confines its investigations to the examination of secret reports, is doubly at variance with the facts,” the Minister said. “In numbers of cases the conclusion of a department, together with suggestions concern ing the necessary action that may or should be taken to meet the requirements of the position, is communicated to those associated • with the businesses concerned. As a matter of fact, consultation with the affected interests is . specially provided for in the Industrial Efficieney Act, which was submitted to the Manufacturers’ Federation for frank comment, and ' surely it Is much better qualified by virtue of its vital interest to express an opinion as to the sentiments of those most responsible mid concerned. This organisation accepted the Act as it was finally placed before Parliament and passed into the lavf of the country. ■ “ As the Minister responsible for the administration of the Industrial Efficiency Act,” Mr Sullivan said, “ I havA used every suitable. occasion to state to the Bureau of Industry and the officers of my department in most definite . terms, that the administrative functions under the Act must be carried opt on the basis of, co-operation and consent, and the spirit of the Act and the administration of the Government have been faithfully preserved by the bureau, despite Mr Mander’s statement. I would not be extending to the officers of the department the barest justice if I did not make the same claim on their behalf. The Bureau of Industry, upon which are two members nominated by the New. Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, has. had some 30 or 40 committees working continuously in consultation with those responsible ' for the control and direction of the business or industry in connection with which any action ,is being taken or contemplated. This serves to show how entirely wrong is the criticism levelled by Mr Mander; “ It is equally surprising,” the Minister concluded, “ that his sense of responsibility permitted Mr Mander to compare the conclusions arrived at by the Government or its. agents in the public interest with conclusions reached to satisfy an altogether different purpose and motive. Because of an obligation to hare regard for the public interest the decisions •of the Government in regard to the matters under review are based upon considerations different to a degree from those involved in the case of a private business. In preserving the right to act according to its own discretion in regard to the confidential information contained in its Te-. cords, the New Zealand Government and the Civil Service are acting in accordance with the highest traditions of the greatest institutions of the Unted Kingdom, the British Government and its Civil Service, and probably no better precedent could be found in any country that possesses a soundly-developed social and governmental organisation.”