TRANSPORT APPEALS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 16 May 1941, Page 4

TRANSPORT APPEALS

MR SEMPLE EXPLAINS HIS POSITION ! TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT 1 (United Press Association] Wellington, This Day. , Apparently there has been some misunderstanding concerning the appointment of Sir Francis Frazer as adviser [ to the Minister in dealing with appeals under the transport legislation.” said ’ the Minister of Transport, Mr Semple, 1 last night. The reason for this ap--1 pointment. added Mr Semple, was that because of a greater urgency of other matters there had been no opportunity 1 during the last session of Parliament of introducing the legislation which i would enable Sir Francis Frazer to be set up as the direct appeal authority instead of the Minister. The Minister explained that neveri theless he still proposed to take the first opportunity of introducing the , necessary legislation, and in the meantime he would give the very greatest weight to the advice tendered to him by Sir Francis Frazer on any appeal. “I want to make this clear,” said Mr Semple, “because certain sections of the Press seem to have the impression that I intend to carry on permanently as the appeal authority. I have no such intention. The present arrangement is purely temporary pending consideration of the necessary amending legislation by Parliament. “I feel also I should make it clear that when I stated my intention of relinquishing the duties as appeal autority the road transport industry went out of its way to express its confidence in me. and urged me to carry on the job. I was unable to agree with this, as my position in holding the office of Minister of Railways would have been an invidious and untenable one.”