CABINET DUTIES
RELIEF FOR MINISTERS MORE UNDER-SECRETARIES APPOINTMENT PROBABLE [JJV TKI/KGRAI'H —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday The probable appointment of additional Parliamentary under-secretaries to Ministers was indicated to-day by the Prime .Minister, Mr. Savage, in an interview. Parliamentary undersecretaries, he said, would be given definite, status under 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 the Cabinet of Ihe present heavy pressure of work. At the moment there is only one Parliamentary tinder-secretary, Mr. .1. A Leo, member for Grey Lynn, who acts in this capacity to the Prime Minister. During the past few months Mr. Lee has been actively engaged on various special duties and inquiries and has had much more work to do than the ordinary private member. The new procedure would place him on a definite status with regard to his duties, unless, of course, he is granted full Ministerial rank. 1 In the meantime no official information can be obtained on this latter point, although it is freely stated that Mr. Lee is a strong candidate for Cabinet office. Although Mr. Savage would not discuss names or portfolios in outlining the desirability for additional appointments of Parliamentary under-secre-taries be said it was obvious that some Ministers were handling more work than was reasonable. If under-secre-taries with proper status were attached to those Ministers they would be able to carry out many of the official duties. In addition to lightening the 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.
"I have made inquiries into the British system of Parliamentary undersecretaries," Mr. Savage said. " All the details are not applicable here, but I am satisfied that appointments can be made which will operate to the benefit of tho Government and the country as a whole."
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22444, 13 June 1936, Page 12
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322CABINET DUTIES New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22444, 13 June 1936, Page 12
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