CONDEMNED UNHEARD
INDUSTRY AND THE BUREAU MR MANDER REITERATES COMPLAINT [Pia United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 9. Mr A. C. Mander, replying to Mr Sullivan’s statement, says: “I made criticism of the practice of Ministers and the Bureau of Industry making decisions largely on the strength of secret reports prepared by departmental omcers, without the reports being shown at least to the party reported upon. It is disappointing to find that Mr Sullivan does not give any indication that he has seen the point of my argument. The Minister’s statement regarding the integrity and ability of his departmental officers is _ undoubtedly well meant, but quite beside the point. Presumably the integrity of public servants is equal to that of the legal profession, the business community, or any other representative body of New Zealanders. That is generally good, but weak in some cases. “ In my statement I expressly refrained from raising the question of the ability of departmental officers to make reliable reports on the efficiency or management of business. The question was whether the report should be a secret one or whether it ought not to be disclosed to the firm reported upon. I was not referring to the conclusions arrived at. the decision made, or the judgment passed upon the industry. I was referring to the report upon which such conclusion or judgment was based. “If the Government or the bureau, largely on the strength of a secret departmental report, makes a decision adverse to a particular industry or firm, the fact is that the industry has been condemned on evidence which it has not seen and has not been given the opp?-ity to correct or deny. “ I do not wish to get at cross purposes with the Minister, who, I know, is honestly trying to do his best for the manufacturing industry. I only suggest that he might consider whether the Government cannot eliminate a system of judging and condemning firms and industries largely on the strength of reports not disclosed to them.’l
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Bibliographic details
Evening Star, Issue 22618, 9 April 1937, Page 8
Word Count
335CONDEMNED UNHEARD Evening Star, Issue 22618, 9 April 1937, Page 8
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