TAKEN UP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20107, 29 November 1939, Page 5

TAKEN UP

“SCRIM’S” CHALLENGE FARMER’S ACCEPTANCE COURT ACTION SOUGHT “NUMEROUS WITNESSES” (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day.. Arising out of public protests by various branches of the Farmer: Union concerning the attacks whic 1. the Director of Commercial Broadcasting is said to have made against the farmers of New Zealand, a chal lenge was issued by Mr. C. G. Serin geour on Sunday night offering, if i be proved that he used the word: - complained of, to resign his position and not speak over the radio again

Mr. J. J. Maher, a farmer of Mungaroa, has taken up the challenge. In a letter to Mr. Scrimgeour he ask" to be informed of the time and place at which he is to attend before a judge of the Supreme Court for th. settlement of the issue. •Mr. Maher’s letter to Mr. Scrimgeour says: “During your broadcast or. Sunday evening to what you describee as a potential dudience of dimillion people, you replied to the recent protests' of thousands of farmers by- issuing a challenge in the course of whicl you offered to resign your position a Director of Commercial Broadcasting and never to speak over the radi< again if anyone proved before a judge of the Supreme Court that you usee the objectionable expression complained of. Proof Undertaken , "In order that New Zealand may forever be rid of your methods oi propaganda and that the calm of bur Sabbath evenings be restored, I hereby iccept your challenge and undertake o prove that two Sunday nights ago your voice was heard over the radio referring to the Farmers’ Union as Public Enemy No. 3.’ ■'Please inform me as soon as possible of the time and place, at which I am to attend before whatever judge of the Supreme Court you may elect for the purpose of settling this matter. It is desirable that the numerous witnesses whom I propose to call should have an opportunity of giving their evidence before the courts close for the summer vacation.’’