APPOINTMENT OF RAILWAY GENERAL MANAGER

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 24, 23 August 1928, Page 5

APPOINTMENT OF RAILWAY GENERAL MANAGER

OPPOSITION VOIGES ' STRONG CRITICISM.

%AW OF COUNTRY SET ASIDE"

PARLIAMENT ONLY A FARCE.

.Press Association—Convrifht ~ WELLINGTON; ThYs Day?'-' After the telegraph office eft?*,«s the Monse continued to aMtCßtw the first item on the Estimates* and the amendment mWtil h;r the leader of the Oppo-, sifcioii to reduce it hy £9 as a protest, against the appointment V the General Manager of Rail-

ways. ' „■;.,; The Prime Minister, in ropi,jr to criticism, said full particulars of the appointment would V\ i . desod in the Railway Statement which v/ould'be brought down shortly. •MIGHT BE ILLEGAL.* He did not remember all the detail's ' of 'th's\'appointment, but the ■j.ieneva'l manager's salary was £33.10,, arid there was to be superanuia;ion, but the salary would not be exempt from income tax. The appointment might be. illegal, but- it was not, /Unconstitutional, and could be rati%(i by Parliament. ; .., Members of the Board had re-: -signed mainly -for health reasons,; and under all the circumstances the Government had acted in the best

interests of the railways in making the change in management. Mr; P. Fraser demanded to know

■what terrible fate was hanging 1 over the railways that this change " was", necessary before Parliament could meet. [He did not question Mr Sterling's appointment, but he did object to the setting aside of a law of the country to do it. Parliament was.becoming a farce,

land, '£*U' niembeirs were .« to do was to endorse what ithe Min,,.'/ister ■ did.' ' *<' ... ' '

METiIOI) OF APPOINTMENT. Mr H. E. Holland said he was not attacking Mr Sterling, but only tho method of his appointment. Mr 'H. Atmore said he believed the people would strongly disapprove of what was a shocking disregard for constitutional "procedure. The division resulted: — For the amendment —15. Against—43. The item was not reduced., Progress was then reported, and the House rose at 2.40" till 2:30 p.Ji.