MINISTER’S SON

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 November 1936, Page 7

MINISTER’S SON

MR. SEMPLE’S REJOINDER. [PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, November 14. Full responsibility for the appointment of A. E. Armstrong, the son of the Minister of Labour, to a position on the railway construction works at Parnassus, was accepted this morning by the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Semple), who described the criticism of the appointment, of Ministers sons to positions in the public service as an exhibition of political venom. “If our political opponents have no better weapons than these with which to flog us,”- said Mr. Semple I advise them to take a, rest, as they will get them nowhere.” ■ The Minister said that he took full responsibility for the selection of A. E. Armstrong for a job in the Public Works Department, and Mr. Armstrong knew nothing about the appointment of his son until at least a fortnight afterwards. “I asked Mr F. Langbein, the District Public Works Engineer, to give him a job, not as a foreman, but as an ordinary navvy,” Mr. Semple added. “Since his selection, I understand that he has been chosen by his workmates as the head of the gang. I take the responsibility, and apologise to no one, for giving the boy a job as an ordinary navvy, and,the fact that he has already been selected as the head of his gang justifies my action. This is an exhibition of political spleen and vindictiveness of the worst kind. It is an attempt to create an impression that favouritism is being shown when the son of a Minister of the Crown is appointed to a job as an ordinary navvy. I had to put up with the same kind of stuff when my own boy was appointed to a position as traffic inspector, on his merits. I knew that this sort of stuff would come from certain individuals. When my boy approached me and asked would I object; to him putting in an application, and emphasised that if it would embarrass me he would not do so, I told him that I would not prevent him climbing to any position he was fit to fill, but that he would have to get there on his own merits.” Mr Semple said that his son was eventually appointed as a traffic inspector, and had since made good. 'He had had about 70 cases already in the Dunedin district, where he was stationed, and had secured a conviction in every case. “It seems that some people are trying to build a barrier against Ministers’ sons or daughters getting on in the battle of life, but I am satisfied that the public have minds above that paltry, petty, selfish attitude,” Mr. Semple concluded.