A GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENT

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9090, 8 July 1915, Page 5

A GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENT

QUESTION ASKED IN THE HOUSE.

In the House of Representatives yes- ' torday Mr R. McC’ailum (Wairau) said that hs wished to ask the Minister for Lands (the Right Hon. W. F. t Massey) if it was true that he had caused to be appointed to one of the land boards of the Dominion an oxtnomber of Parliament who had re* ttently been Unseated for corrupt practices on an election petition tried before the judges of the Supreme Court. If the appointment had been, made, had tho attention of the Minister been Balled to (1) section 224 of the Legislature Act, 1908, which expressly provided that a person convicted of any corrupt or illegal practice should bo incapable of holding any public or judicial office and required that if he held such office he should vacate’ it; and (2) the Minister’s own amendment of the Lund Act, 1908, passed in 1913. whereby he had caused it to bo enacted that if any member of a land board Was guilty of “negligent or improper conduct”" (in addition to fraudulent conduct), which in tho opinion of tho Governor rendered him unfit for tho office, his seat at the board should bov.onio vacant ?

The question of which Mr McCnlhim gave notice related to the recent appointment of Mr Vernon Reed, exniember for the Bay of Islands, to the Auckland Land Board. 'The appointment has boon made since Mr Reed was unseated by the Election Court.