A HOT RETORT

Southland Times, Issue 22473, 8 November 1934, Page 7

A HOT RETORT

MR R. McKEEN’S ALLEGATION. RESENTED BY MR COATES. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, November 7. The statement made and repeated by Mr R. McKeen in the House to-night that the Public Service Commissioner was the “good tool of the Ministers," brought a hot retort from the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates who declared, “That is the most unfair and unsubstantiated statement ever made in this House. You may have the credit of it and I say it will do you no credit at all.” Mr Coates was speaking during the discussion on the Native Commissions report and said Mr McKeen had made the statement that the Public Service Commissioner was only a tool in the hands of the Government.

Mr McKeen: I believe it. , Mr Coates: I am sorry it doesnt do Mr McKeen justice. He also made the statement that there was more corruption in the Public Service than anywhere else. Mr McKeen: Among the heads of departments. Mr Coates: He wants a Royal Commission to inquire into the conduct of the departments. We have had that about almost every department of the State from time to time from the Opposition benches. I want to ask Mr MeKeen if he honestly believes and seriously thinks the public affairs are not carried out honestly. Mr W. E. Parry: Spring cleaning would do no harm. Mr Coates: I have heard that before. For 13 years you have been saying that. He added that Mr McKeen’s suggestion was unworthy of the member who made it. Mr McKeen: I take full responsibility for it. Mr Coates: Very well, and I say that if there is any proposal for a change of control of the Public Service in the Dominion, the first expression of protest would come from the Public Service itself. Never do they want to go back to the old days when it was by will of the politician or the Government of the day that a man was appointed, promoted or otherwise dealt with.