State Secrets are Guarded Jealously

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 726, 27 July 1929, Page 10

State Secrets are Guarded Jealously

TREASURY’S RIGHTS QUESTIONS IN HOUSE (THE SUE'S Parliamentary Reporterj PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Friday The request of the Hon. w Downie Stewart for a return of all correspondence concerning New Zealand and the London money market, and for proof of sir Joseph Ward's allegations that Mr. Stewart had embarrassed him by an agreement not to go on the London market for two years, wa« further referred to in the House of Representatives this afternoon and there were divergent opinions expressed on the relationship that should exist between the Government and the Treasury. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Napier) asked Sir Joseph Ward (1) whether h e did not consider that the Government and not the Treasury Department was the better judge as to whether correspondence relating to national borrowing transactions should be placed before the House; (2) if so whether the Government Itself would decide as to the propriety of making, all such correspondence available for the information of the House. It was impossible, said Sir Joseph iWard, to grant what the member asked in the first portion of the question. Negotiations by cable sometimes lasted weeks, and it the cables were made public it would destroy all chance of success; also the House was

not assembled when the negotiations were going on. It was against all pre cedent with the work of the Treasurr that these negotiations should be placed on the table of the House, and such procedure would destroy the very vitals of the conduct of the Treasury, in this or any other country. Regarding the second part of the question, Sir Joseph Baid that if he did agree he would expect responsible authorities in England not to answer cable communications from New Zealand.

Mr. Barnard: The Treasury is superior to the Government, then? The Prime Minister: That is non sense. Mr. Barnard: That is not. Sir Joseph Ward: That is perfect nonsense. The Government is arusuperior to them all. Mr. J. McCombs (Lyttelton): Parliament is. Sir Joseph Ward contended it might as well be expected that a man in private life in a difficult position should proclaim to the world that he was applying to certain persona for finance. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party: Partners in business know everything that is going on in it. Sir Joseph Ward: But the hon. gentleman is not a partner in the Treasury. Voices: Yes, surely we all are. Mr. Stewart here interjected, and Sir Joseph replied that the ex-Ministsr of Finance had never followed the course proposed. Mr. Stewart said that he was never asked to. The Prime Minister said that the negotiations in connection with the loans had never been laid on the table or published. If they were, the hon. gentleman would not have a leg to stand on. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) asked how was the House to judge. It wanted to know something about it. Mr. Speaker called the House to order when Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Biccarton) characterised the Prime Minis-

ter’s remark as a sinister suggestion. Sir Joseph Ward said that what appeared easy in theory to Mr. Barnard could not be carried out in practice without doing a lot of damage and killing the negotiations.