Official may give evidence against party

Press, 28 January 1986, Page 3

Official may give evidence against party

PA Auckland A South Auckland National Party official says he is prepared to give evidence against the party in legal proceedings brought by a former Methven branch official, Mrs Margaret Quin. Mr George Dale’s announcement comes two days before the party executive is due to meet in Wellington to discuss the future of another critic, a former Cabinet Minister, Dr lan Shearer.

The executive has summonsed Dr Shearer to its meeting in Wellington tomorrow. Dr Shearer’s lawyer, Mr Kevin Ryan, has drafted a letter detailing the conditions for the meeting and briefly answering the charges against his client. Mr Dale, aged 33, the Manurewa electorate deputy chairman and Weymouth branch chairman, told the “Auckland Star” yesterday he had agreed to give evidence in Mrs Quin’s legal action against the executive’s 21 members. He said the evidence, if required, would detail a conversation he overheard between Mrs Quin and the Pahiatua Member of Parliament Mr John Falloon, at the party’s annual conference in Christchurch last year.

Mr Dale had approached Mrs Quin at the conference after she was linked with the controversy surrounding a party loan to the Rangiora Member of Parliament, Mr Jim Gerard.

He was present when Mrs Quin and Mr Falloon discussed her inquiry into the loan. Mr Dale said that as a personal protest against the continued refusal by the party president, Mrs Sue Wood to answer questions about the loan, and against the treatment of Mrs Quin and Dr Shearer, he had refused to attend any official party function since last August. He has relinquished both his positions and they would be officially vacated at the electorate’s annual meeting on February 25. He had not resigned his membership.

“I was seen as a threat,” he told the “Star.” “I was capable of asking what was going on, and I did ask questions. “Now I’ve told them that until the facts and figures are sorted out, until the executive comes clean, I’m not interested in working for the party.”

The Manurewa electorate sent a letter to the party executive expressing its concern about the handling of the loan issue. It .also requested a meeting with Mrs Wood, the secretary-general, Mr Barrie Leay and the Auckland divisional director Mr John Tremewan. The meeting did not eventuate.

Both Mrs Quin and Dr Shearer have filed writs in retaliation against their treatment.

Dr Shearer is suing Mrs Wood for $500,000 for defamation, while Mrs Quin is suing each of the executive members for varying amounts. The cases are expected to be heard this year.