ABJECT APOLOGY BY MR FRASER.

Chronicle (Levin), 2 July 1949, Page 5

ABJECT APOLOGY BY MR FRASER.

WELLINGTON, July 1. Regret for a refefence he had made the previous eyening 'tq' the presidenf of the New Zealand Natiqnal Party, Mr W. J. Sim, K.C;, ^a's fexp'ressed by the Prime Minister "(Mr Fraser; when the Ilqqse ,of Pepresentatives met yesterday afternoqn. Mr Fraser) said ( "that during his speeeh, he used f he r '-'fpUowing words: "Pne.ofthq . . gre^j^at. Aiffi-Pn] t'ies is that when the . Goyernment does take actiou against Communist., they run to the president of the National Party to get him to help tbem oqt qf- their dilemma. The ' prSsidqht of - the National Party

is the legal ally of the Communists. 1 ' The Prime Minister §si.d he had received a letter from Mr Sim in whieji Mr SSim objected very ^trongly to the referenee to' hfm and cpntended thai it'jjwas without fdilndatiqn. in fact. 1# h\k iett.er, Mr Sim ' fheluded a stater ment oi. the aetnal position which arose oyer a Court ca^'e irt'iyjiieli a member of' the Communist Paft-yPwas involved. After quoting ; this" statement, Mr Fraser said: "1 have no hesitation - i?j apcepting Mr Sim's versiop qf the post tion fftat hP aefed in bis professiona) capaeity for the Public Service Assoeia^ tion which had taken ^up the qasq. o|; Wt spliftps, a Mhlic. g.eryhpt, whff" w'#: a member of the Communist Party. 1 accordingly withdraw the imphfatioji that was contained in my refereiice lasi eyening, and ..gxprcss( my regret fpi the misreprqseAtatlon contained' in it. ;