The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1948 IRREGULARITIES IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 November 1948, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1948 IRREGULARITIES IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

THE decision of the House of Commons—for it was an unanimous resolution—to have set up a judicial tribunal to enquire into the possibilities of corruption in the administration of the Board of Trade has brought to light the need for the constant supervision of public business. While in England both political parties, Conservative and Labour, join together to see that the public good is preserved, recently in New Zealand the efforts in that direction have been resented on at least two occasions. On the occasions that the member for Patea, Mr. Sheat, has done his duty lie has been met with not co-operation on the Attlee pattern, but with tlie outpourings of the sewer. The difference in conduct should be marked by those electors who are persuaded that the men of the Attlee type and those who comprise the Labour Party in the House of Commons are paralleled by the New Zealand Labour Party in tlie House of Representatives. The unanimous decision of the House of Commons in respect to the enquiry into these possible irregularities simply could not be registered in Wellington because there are men in the House of Representatives who cannot rise to the level of the labour members of the Mother of Parliaments.

It is b) be noticed that the seat of the alleged corruption lies in the organisation of the vice of betting on the one side and the necessity for securing from Government Departments the authorisation to engage in activities which would bring considerable profit to those who were lucky enough to receive the authorisations. It can be taken for granted that where there is gambling there will be corruption somewhere in the set-up. It can be equally certain that where the decision of a Government official or Minister bestows especial benefits upon certain individuals the ground is prepared for the entry into the situation of some sort of bribery. Why should A be preferred over B and why should C give a licence to A, thereby conferring an immense financial benefit in which C does not share? Such a set-up puts a very heavy strain upon the individuals concerned and human nature being what it is, corrupt practices are soon suggested and engaged in. It is for the public to discourage as much as possible such a state of affairs arising and that means the limitation of the licensing system in all its phases—building, importing, price-control, credit control, and Ministerial authorisations—for these are the breeding grounds of corruption whereon only the strongest characters can withstand the inherent temptations. The first of the specific matters referred to the tribunal was as follows: Proposals relating to applications relating to the import of amusement machinery. This has a familiar ring about it, for in New Zealand questions have been asked but seemingly unanswered as to how it came about that amusement machinery manufactured in the United States of America have been imported into this Dominion at a time of dollar shortage. Presumably, had the British House of Commons been dealing with such a situation it would have ordered a judicial investigation into this matter. It would be as well for a similar step to be taken by New Zealand’s House of Representatives.

Prosecutions have already been instituted concerning the issue of building licences and the public is aware of how the technique Was applied in those specific instances.

JUGOSLAVIA HOMELAND

CVERYONE can give respect to the man who desires to return to his homeland when that country stands in need of men. This is the position of Jugoslavia today. It is short of manpower and in order to bring up the country to a higher standard of efhciency in the economic and military sense it is desirable that all the resources of the country’s population shall be organised. There are overseas many Jugoslavs whose hearts are warm to the country of their birth and who would willingly forego the opportunities for greater comfort and wider living in order to take part in the great forward movement of their own country. Those who desire to do this should have no barriers placed between them and their hearts desire. Indeed, they should be sent away with all the honours to be accorded a patriot. It is no concern of New Zealand that Jugoslavia has decided—or at least some people inside Jugoslavia have so decided —that a different economy shall be established in that country, based on the Russian pattern. That is purely a domestic affair with the people most concerned. The Jugoslav population was attracted to Ney Zealand because of the congenial nature of the climate which suited this people of Slav origin which have occupied territory in Southern Europe for centuries. The kauri gum-digging industry provided the early settlers with an employment in which the language difficulty presented no barrier to success and much of the Far North has been developed as a result of Jugoslav energy. This race has provided some good contributions to New Zealand’s population and is likely to do so again. All that New Zealand should be concerned about is that those Jugoslavs who have been long resident in New Zealand should be made honestly aware of the kind of life to which they are going, the prospects of their being able to change their country of residence once they return to their homeland and the prospects of their being able to return to New Zealand should they desire to do so. If this duty is discharged then that is all that can be required n' the Government and the people of New Zealand. There have been suggestions that a measure of pressure has been exerted upon those of Jugoslav birth or parentage to get them to go back unwillingly to their own country. This suggestion has been denied by some who should be in a position to know whether or not it is true. If there is any truth in it then the Government should refuse agents of the Jugoslav Government right of entry into this country or should at least put some restriction upon their activities. But until there is some real ground for this action it would be unwise to engage in it.