PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 59, 12 March 1935, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATES

PAYMENT OP EXPENSES. MR. H. G. DICKIE EXPLAINS. Speaking at Westmere last night, Mr. H. G. Dickie, M.P. fer Palea, said that there was an impression abroad that Parliament was paying the expenses of the delegation being sent from New Zealand to the British Empire Parliamentary Association’s conference in London. Such was not the case. All expenses were being paid by the association. Mr. Dickie has been appointed leader of the New Zealand delegation, which sails from Wellington on March 28. The British Empire Parliamentary Association meets at various times in different Empire centres—in Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and India. Mr. Dickie said that the meeting in London this year would be important, and he was glad to be a member of the delegation, because he was closely interested in the meat problem and thought that the trip would enable him to gain first-hand knowledge m that connection. He wanted the point regarding the payment of expenses cleared up definitely. He had been a member of the association for many years, and had paid his subscription like every other member. It was from the fund created by those subscriptions that the New Zealand delegation’s expenses would be paid. It was not a case of the Dominion Parliament contributing for somebody to have a “joy-ride” at the expense of the taxpayer.

On the motion of Mr. T. Currie, provincial president of the Farmers’ Union, the meeting congratulated Mr. Dickie on being appointed the delegation ’s leader.