U.S. REPORT CRITICISED

Chronicle (Levin), 14 August 1947, Page 7

U.S. REPORT CRITICISED

Press Association

"MONTV'S" VISIT TO N.Z.>

By Telegraph-.

WELLINGTON, August 13. In an urgent question to the Prime Minister * in the House of Representatives, Mr. P. G. Counolly (Dunedin 'bentral), asked if the latter's attention had been drawn to a news report in the Chieago Tribune on July 18, sent by Quentin Pope from Wellington, coneerning Yiseount Montgomery's visit. "In view of the false presentation of the news and the coin plete misrepresentation of New Zealand sentiment which it contains, ' ' said Mr Connolly, ' ' will the Prime Minister in dicate whether any safeguards are pos sible to prevent such an abuse of the freedom of the press." Mr. Connolly said the report stated: "Hundreds o American flags were in the hands oi New Zealanders who greeted Field Marshal Montgomery when the Britisi Chief-of-Staff drove fhrough Welling ton today. Monty had c'ome here foi stalf tallcs. Some New Zealanders weri seen ref using British Union Jaeks am. insisting on getting the Stars an-1 Stripes from storekeepers ' wartiim stocks. " ■ Mr. Fraser, replying, said his atten tion had been drawn to the report from a number of sources, partieularly b;\ businessmen concerned with trade be tween New Zealand and the Unitei. States. The only vestige of truth. ii the report was the referenee to the fae. that Yiseount Montgomery had drivei in a motor car which was lent, by tli. third secretary of the United State legation, as it was the only suitabu type of vehicle which eould be located Apart from that the report was just fabrication and falsehood. It- was no the ftrst instance of miseliievous ro ports injurious to relationships betweei New Zealand and United States, whic, had been aecrodited to Quentin Pope ' Mr. Fraser said he eould not sa. whether Mr. Pope was the writer o. these reports but they were accreditei. to him. They were delinitelv harmfu to New Zealand but were acceptable ti

the Chicago-Tribune whose anti-Britisi poliey was well known. Mr. Frase, said that at the moment he could no. see that anything could be done to pre - vent any person doing this sort o. thing even though he might coinpletef discredit himself in the eyes of hi: countrymen. Mr. Holland: Have you tried getting in toueh with liimf Mr. Fraser: No. I don't know wlierc he is at present. He is partly here, partly in Sydney, partly in the Paeific Such statements, said the Prime Minis ter, were so absurd that it iVas difficul; to imagine they would be believed. rhey almost defeated their own pur pose. The American Governmen eertainly knew that there was no ques tion of the loyaity of New Zealand tv the British Commonwealth. However, reports of this nature might ereate :• wrong impression in the Middle Wes. where they might foster the belief tha' the British Empire was f alling to pieee: and that New Zealanders were anx'iou; to ehange their allegianee. Thesi statements were most regrettable and reprehensible. Never in the history o. the British Empire were our relatiou ships with olher British eountrie: eloser than at present. Mr. Broadfoot: It is a miserable wa) ro earn money.