NO APOLOGIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 11, 14 January 1936, Page 8

NO APOLOGIES

MINISTER AND BOARDS remarks criticised. MR. SEMPLE REPLIES. WELLINGTON, .Jan. 11. Exception tu criticism that was made about his reference in Christchurch to boards, board members, and running shoes was taken by the Minister ol Public Works (the Hon. K, temple), who declared that it was not an • unfortunate lapse.’* as it was described. ' hat 1 said, 1 said deliberately, and meant it,’" stated Mr. .*senipie. “and I have no apology to make. Boards and committees which the last Government allowed to usurp the rights and privileges of Parliament must understand that they will no longer be permitted to continue. I carried on a vigorous campaign throughout New Zea la ml. addressing thousands of peo pie. and I fought my own personal campaign with this issue prominently in the foreground. I found people practically unanimous on the subject, it being the general opinion that the rights ami privileges of Parliament, in other words, of the people, must not be delegated to boards which had no responsibility to the people. Placing this contention in the for*front of my cam paign. I was given rd emphatic man date to help carrv this police into effect. •"Some boards have taken unto them selves so much authority and power that they turned into nothing short of a dictatorship. That must stop. What I have said I have said in the name of those who gave me a definite mandate. *■ 1 want no lessons from anvone about what I shall say.’’ continue*! the Minister. “1 don’t believe in a chained democracy, hamstrung and hampered by reactionary hoard and committees which have no responsibility to the people, h cannot be. gainsaid that New Zealand gave this Government an antiboard. anti-commission, and anti-com-mittee mandate, and we know what w-e are going '0 do.” Mr. Semple said it was possible that the Main Highway* Board would be retained, but it would certainly be necessary to reconstruct it. It would have to bp made more effective, with a greatlv increased measure of Government control. He found, as .Minister of Transport, that he had little or no power, yet he was responsible Io the people for rhe monev collected. While hp had little jurisdiction, thp board 1 had pra-’t eally a monopoly of expendi turp and allocations. “I am going to tell thp country mv message in my own language.” con-: eluded Mr. Bemple. * - and no one is going to pick mv words for me. Although T am a Minister of thp Crown, | I am still rhp samp Boh Semple.’’