Civil Servants and Labour Petition

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 June 1932, Page 3

Civil Servants and Labour Petition

NO BISK IN SIGNING, SAYS PRIME MINISTER A definite assurance that no action would be taken under section 59 of the Finance Act, 1932, against civil servants who may sign a certain petition now in circulation was given to a Labour Party deputation which waited on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour in Wellington yesterday. •, Mr. W. Nash (Hutt) said they wished to have a statement from the Prime Minister as to whether civil servants, if they signed the petition, would be penalised under the section of the recent Finance Act taking special power for the dismissal of disloyal officers. He quoted the section, which refers to persons “guilty of conduct calculated to incite, procure or encourage grave acts of injustice, violence, lawlessness or disorder, or who by public statements, ox statements intended for publication in, New Zealand or elsewhere” seek "to bring the Government of New Zealand into disrepute,” or who act in any other manner “gravely inimical to the peace, order, or good government of New Zealand.”

Mr. Nash expressed his personal opinion that the signing of the petition would not involve liability under the section. A number of civil servants did not wish to sign the petition until they were certain as to their position. The Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes): “The point is that it is a queetion as to how far they should interfere in politics. The regulation is that they, should not interfere with politics—that is, take up party sides.” Mr. Forbes interpreted the petition as a Labour manifesto—a Labour Party attack on the Government. If a public servant canvassed the petition in the public service to get signatures on behalf of a political party against the Government in power, that would be taking part in polities.

Mr. E. McKeen (Wellington South):', “Supposing a civil servant signed it; would he be infringing the section?” “That is a matter for his own judgment,” Mr. Forbes replied. Mr. J. Thorn (secretary of the Lft* hour Party); “But would you dismiss him if you found his signature in that petition?” Mr. Forbes: "No; very definitely, ao. If he is foolish enough to believe that a petition of this description, circulated for political party purposets, can have any bearing whatever on the Government or the Parliament of the Country —well, I don’t think an act of that kind will involve a breach of the Statute. It shows a not intelligent view.” (Laughter.) Mr. Forbes said he ■wondered who was to verify the signatures. Would that be done by a J.P. ? Mr. Nash pointed out that the preamble to the petition set out that the petitioner was qualified to vote in New Zealand. Mr. Forbes suggested that if any invalid signature were found on the petition, the whole-thing would be invalid. Mr. Nash asked if Mr. Forbes would' say the whole petition was illegal if 24 informal signatures were found on a petition signed by 10,000 people. Mr. Forbes; “It would not be what it purported to be, and we could not accept it as being what it was stated to be.” ,