An All-Night Sitting

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10921, 23 August 1928, Page 6

An All-Night Sitting

NEW RAILWAY MANAGER’S APPOIN TAIENT CRITICISE D.

Electric iclegraph—frees Association WELLINGTON, This Day. The House of Representatives had an all-night sitting. After the telegraph office closed, th© House continued to discuss the first item on the estimates and an amendment was moved by the Leader of the Opposition to reduce it by £9, as a protest against the appointment of the General Manager of Railways. Tu© Prime Minister, in reply to the criticism, said that full particulars of the appointment would he disclosed in the Railway Statement, which would be brought down shortly. He did not remember all the details of the appointment but his salary was £3500 and there was to be superannuation, (but the salary would not be exempt from income tax. The appointment might be illegal. but it was not unconstitutional, and could be rectified bv Parliament Members of the Board resigned mainly for health reasons, and under all circumstances the Government had acted in the best interests of the (railways in making a change in the management.

Air P. Fraser demanded to know what terrible fate was hanging over the railways that this change was necessary before Parliament could meet. He did not question Mr Sterling’s appointment, but be did object to the. setting aside of the law of the country to. do it. Parliament, was becoming a farce and all that members were expected to do was to endorse what Ministers old. Air Holland said lie was not attacking Mr Sterling, but onlv the method of his appointment. Air At more said he believed that th© people would strongly disapprove of what was a shocking disregard for constitutional procedure. The division resulted: For the amendment 15: against 3. Progress was then reported. The House rose at 2.40 a.in. til! 2.30 p.m.