MORE UNDER-SECRETARIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 165, 13 June 1936, Page 7

MORE UNDER-SECRETARIES.

GOVERNMENT’S INTENTION. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 12. The probable appointment of additional Parliamentary Under-Secretaries to Ministers was indicated to-day by ' the Prime#* Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) m an interview. Parliamentary Under-Secretaries, he said, would be given a definite status under the new legislation to be brought down in the ! second half of the session, and additional appointments were likely to be made in order to relieve members of Cabinet of the present heavy pressure of work. At the moment there is only one Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Mr J. A. Lee, M.P., who acts in tins capacity to the Prime Minister. During the past few months Mr Lee has been actively engaged on various special duties and inquiries and lias had much more work to do than the ordinary private member. The new procedure will place him on a definite status , with regard to his duties. | Mr Savage said it was obvious that some Ministers were handling more work than was reasonable. If Under- : Secretaries with proper status were attached to these Ministers, they would be able to carry out many of the official duties. In addition to lightening routine work, 'the scheme would provide valuable training for younger members of the Government Party who in future might be candidates for full Cabinet rank. Appointments would be made which would operate" to the benefit of the Government and the country as a whole.