CIVIL SERVANTS
SIGNATURE OF PETITION PRIME MINISTER’S ASSURANCE. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 10. • A definite assurance that no action will be taken against civil servants under section 69 of the Finance Act who may sign a certain petition now in circulation was given to a Labour Party deputation which waited on the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) and the Minister of Labour (Mr A. Hamilton) to-day. The deputation comprised the local Labour members of Parliament. Mr Forbes interpreted the petition as a Labour manifesto, and said definitely that he would not dismiss a civil servant if he found his signature on the petition. If the servant was foolish enough to believe that a petition of that description, circulated for political, party purposes, could have any bearing whatever on Government or Parliament —“ well,” said Mr Forbes, “ I don’t think an act of that kind will involve a breach of the Statute. It shows a not-intelligent view.” (Laughter.) Mr Forbes also stated that if a public servant canvassed a petition in the public service to get signatures on behalf of the political party in power, that would be taking part in politics. The regulation was that they should not interfere with politics—that is, take up party sides. /
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19320611.2.103
Bibliographic details
Otago Daily Times, Issue 21668, 11 June 1932, Page 12
Word Count
208CIVIL SERVANTS Otago Daily Times, Issue 21668, 11 June 1932, Page 12
Using This Item
Allied Press Ltd is the copyright owner for the Otago Daily Times. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Allied Press Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.