House of Assembly: Vol19 - MONDAY 23 JANUARY 1967

MONDAY, 23RD JANUARY, 1967 Prayers—2.20 p.m. COMMITTEE ON STANDING RULES AND ORDERS

Mr. SPEAKER announced that he had appointed the following members to constitute with himself the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders: The Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Transport, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Justice, Sir De Villiers Graaff, Mr. D. J. G. van den Heever, Mr. J. E. Potgieter, Mr. J. W. Higgerty, Mr. S. F. Waterson, Mr. D. E. Mitchell and Mr. A. Bloomberg.

TEMPORARY CHAIRMEN OF COMMITTEES

Mr. SPEAKER further announced that in terms of Standing Order No. 20 he had appointed the following members to act as temporary Chairmen of Committees during the absence of both the Chairman and the Deputy-Chairman of Committees: Messrs. J. A. L. Basson, J. M. Connan, H. R. H. du Plessis, S. Frank, H. C. A. Keyter and J. J. Wentzel.

FIRST READING OF BILLS

The following Bills were read a First Time:

Wool and Wool Commission Amendment Bill.

Mining Rights Bill.

Mining Titles Registration Bill.

Maintenance Amendment Bill.

Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of Oaths Amendment Bill.

Suppression of Communism Amendment Bill.

Railways and Harbours Acts Amendment Bill.

Motor Carrier Transportation Amendment Bill.

War Measures Continuation Amendment Bill.

SELECT COMMITTEES

The following Select Committees were appointed:

  1. On Public Accounts.
  2. On Internal Arrangements.
  3. On Railways and Harbours.
  4. On Library of Parliament.
  5. On Pensions.
  6. On State-owned Land.
  7. On Irrigation matters.
  8. On Bantu Affairs.
CHANGES IN THE CABINET *The PRIME MINISTER:

Mr. Speaker, with your leave I wish to inform the House that the hon. the Minister of Finance has informed me that he is resigning his office as from to-morrow. Furthermore, I wish to inform the House that, with the concurrence of the State President, the hon. the Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr. Diederichs, will take charge of the portfolio of Finance as from tomorrow, while the Minister of Planning and Mines will take charge of the portfolio of Economic Affairs in addition to his other portfolios as from to-morrow until our present ambassador in London, Dr. De Wet, is able to relinquish his office there in order to take charge of the portfolios vacated by the Minister of Planning and Mines. I take pleasure in informing the House about these changes.

Mr. J. W. HIGGERTY:

Mr. Speaker, I simply rise to protest against the fact that the Opposition were not informed that the hon. the Prime Minister was making a statement. It is traditional in this House under our parliamentary, democratic system of government, that when an important statement is going to be made by the Prime Minister or any other Minister, the Opposition are informed that such a statement is going to be made. It has been necessary in the past to point this out in this manner in the House, and I hope that in future the tradition will be observed.

*The PRIME MINISTER:

Mr. Speaker, I am astonished at the hon. member, the Chief Whip. This is not the same kind of statement as we have had to do with in the past. There was no need for me at all to have come to this House as regards this matter. I simply wanted to avail myself of the very first opportunity of informing this House before this information goes to the Press. Instead of being criticized by the hon. the Chief Whip, I expected appreciation from him for my taking this House into my confidence in this manner, while there was no need for me whatever to have done so. This statement is quite different from the kind of statement which is debatable or which can be debated. This is simply a Government decision of which I, because I believe it to be the correct procedure, wanted to inform members of the House of the Assembly at the very first opportunity so that they would not have to read about it in the newspapers. The hon. the Chief Whip must tell me now whether or not I should treat the House of Assembly with that consideration in the future.

Therefore, Sir, since I have always done my duty towards this House in this regard, I refuse to be lectured by the hon. the Chief Whip in regard to this matter.

*Sir DE VILLIERS GRAAFF:

Mr. Speaker,…

*Mr. SPEAKER:

Order! I am sorry, but I cannot allow a debate on this matter. If I may make a suggestion: the hon. the Leader of the Opposition will be able to avail himself of his opportunity to-morrow.

The House adjourned at 2.35 p.m.