RUMOUR CRITICISED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19987, 12 July 1939, Page 12

RUMOUR CRITICISED

HEW GOVERNOR - GENERAL i IK KWFR SrCiCIFSTEI) ( HUHOT lOX lA/ RR F,sß> YTKR Y (Per press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. A suggestion that the Government may appoint a leading brewer to .succeed Viscount Galway as the Gov-ernor-General of the Dominion was brought before the Auckland Presbytery by the Rev. J. D. Smith, when he was presenting a report of the temperance commitjee yesterday. “Some of you will have noticed," he said, “that it has been reported that it is the intention of tile Government to follow the example ol Australia and. ins.tcad of having an overseas British subject appointed as Governor-General, that a New Zealand subject will be appointed and that strong pressure is being brought .0 bear upon the Government to appoint a leading brewer to that position “I will take it that the usual procedure is being followed to throwing out a feeler to see what sort of effect it will have on public opinion. “1 hope." said Mr. Smith, "that every one of you will take the trouble to write a letter to the Prime Minister and tell him what; you think about the proposal. Nothing in my uidgmenl could bring the law of the country into greater disrepute than to have a brewer appointed as Gov-ernor-General (hear hear) for there is no trade in the country that is responsible for more breaking of the law than the liquor trade. “For one who is intimately associated with its affairs to be appointed to be the supreme citizen of this country would lower the standard of order and decency more than anvhing else." (Applause). Several members of the presbyArv expressed a desire to know the source of Mr. Smith's information •nd whether there was anything behind it. Mr. Smith replied that it had been a matter of general talk for some time.