DR. VALINTINE'S POST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20668, 13 September 1930, Page 13

DR. VALINTINE'S POST.

SALARY AS ADVISER.

OPPOSITION TO PROPOSAL.

MEMBERS BLAME MINISTER.

[fir TELEGRAM. —SPECIAL REFORTER.] WELLINGTON. Friday.

Tho principle of engaging Dr. T. H. A. Valintino, director-general of health, as advisory officer to the department at a salary of £SOO on tho completion of tho six months' leavo of absence on full pay which ho has just cc imenced to enjoy, was debated at unusual longth in tho llousc of Representatives to-day, when tho Estimates of tho department were under consideration.

As a protest against tho explanation rnado by tho Minister of Health, tho Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, Mr. W. Lee Martin (Labour —Raglan) moved a reduction of £IOO in tho departmental vote, flio division bells wero actually rung to decido tho issuo, but Mr. Martin's proposal was eventually lost on tho voices. At tho sanio time, members expressed tho opinion that Mr. Stallworthy would havo saved himself a lot of time had ho mado an adequate reply in tho first place. " When I raised tho question as to tho position of the retiring director-general of health a week .ago," said Mr. Martin, "tho Minister told us that in consideration of his long service of 30 years, the least that could bo done for him was to appoint him as an advisory officer to tho department at £SOO per year. The real reason for tho appointment is that tho retiring director-general does not come under tho superannuation scheme. I submit that he had ample opportunity to join the superannuation fund, but now tho Minister elects to appoint him at a salary of £SOO a year.

Disapproval of Proposal

" I do not think tho House should givo its approval to this. Tho retiring direc-tor-general has had a pretty large salary and was well able to pay into the fund. There is another consideration, and that is tho position of tho new director-general of health. Unless ho joined tho fund prior to ho will not be entitled to moro than £3OO on his retirement. I submit that if the Government is going to pay tho retiring director-general anything, it should not pay him moro than £3OO.

Mr. Lee Martin said that as a protest against tlio reply of tho Minister, ho would movo that the total voto of tho department bo reduced by £IOO. ' Tho point should not bo overlooked that the retiring director-general of health had tho chanco of roming under the superannuation scheme and ho refused it," said Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Independent —Grey Lynn). "I am going to support tho amendment."

The Minister said there would be no increase in the aggregate of salaries of tho Health Department. In fact, there would bo a decrease. Dr. Valintine was being appointed as an advisory officer to take tho plnco of another part-time or advisory officer.

Special Consideration.

Mr. IT. T. Armstrong (Labour —Christchurch East) said the salary was in reality a compassionato allowance. He did not begrudgo tho payment to Dr. Valintine, but ho wanted to ask why he should be singled out for special considera tion.

Regret that the member for Raglan had moved tho amendment was expressed by Mr. J. Nash (Reform —Palmerston North). If ever a man was deserving of consideration it was Dr. Valintine.

Mr. J. O'Brien (Labour —Westland) askerl the Minister if ho was going to extend to nurses, particularly those in the mental hospitals, the samo treatment as that accorded to Dr. Valintine.

Mr. H. Holland (Reform—Christchurch North) said the director had refused to contribute one penny to the superannuation fund, yet ho was to receive a retiring allowance of £SOO, whereas the other officers who had contributed to tho fund received only £3OO a year superannuation.

Tho Minister said no question of superannuation was involved. If any nurse in tho department's nursing division had rendered the unique service given by Dr. \ alintine, he would certainly undertake to treat her in a similar way. There had been a certain amount of reorganisation fn the department recently arid that had accounted for his reluctanco to give tho names of those who had been on parttimo salaries. He had been placed in a somewhat delicate position, but ho was prepared to give tho names of those officers if that would facilitate the passing of tho Estimates. Advisory Capacities.

Those who had received salaries in an advisory capacity wero Dr. Jellett, consulting obstetrician, and Dr. Makgill, part-time officer in Auckland. His duty had been to come to Wellington to adviso on various questions of technique. Mr. W. E. Parry (Labour—Auckland Central): Is this new ?

Tho Minister: No, it has been going on for 10 or 20 years. Mr. M. Savage (Labour—Auckland West) said if ho couJd have an assurance that tho arrangement would bo for only ono year he would bo prepared to let the matter go. The Minister: I will give an undertaking that it will bo reviewed next year. In any case it does not operate until next March.

Mr. H. S. S. Kvlo (Reform—Riccarton): But you might not bo hero next year. (Laughter.) The Leader of tho Labour Party, Mr. H. E. Holland, said the discussion had arisen through a misapprehension and tho Minister was to blarne for not making tho position clear at tho outset.

Tho amendment was lost on tho voices.

TENDERS NOT PUBLISHED.

STORES BOARD CRITICISED.

PROTEST BY MR. FLETCHER.

[nr telegraph.— special retorter.] AV ELLINGTON, Friday.

_ A protest against the refusal of the State Stores Control Board to publish particulars of tenders, either successful or unsuccessful, was mado by Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Independent—Grey Lynn) in tho Houso of Representatives today, when ho threatened to divide the House unless ho could get satisfaction from the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. P. A. de la Perrello, on tho point. The Internal Affairs Department estimates wero under discussion when Mr. Fletcher drew tho Minister's attention to the board's refusal to publish details of tenders. He said the question had given great concern to tenderers throughout tho country, and chambers of commerce had repeatedly asked that particulars should 1.0 made public. 110 mentioned a case in which a tender £lO above that of a reputable firm had been accepted by tho board, resulting in an extra charge of £382 upon the public. From that it was clear that the board had something to hide. " I can assure tho honourable member that instructions have been issued to tho board to buy New Zealand goods and to give preference to them as far as possible," said the Minister. Mr. Fletcher: It is not a question of buying New Zealand goods. It is a question of publishing tho tenders. The Minister promised to give the question his consideration and no further referc-uco was made to it in view of the fact thafc tho timo for th® adjournment was near.