WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1921, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

PROIMTKIIS’ DEPUTATION. CONFLI( TING STATEMENTS. SI'KCIAI. TO Ul’AltnlAN. WELLINGTON, Nov. .'til

Quite a little commotion ha* been occasioned in political circi.s by the curiously conflicting statements published concerning the deputation Loin the various pindiieing inteie-Ts which waited upon the Prime Minister in the* early part of last month. M' W. D. limit was the spokesman ol the deputation ami read a .statement setting oui in vet v plain trims the financial difficulties of tlie fanners and urging the need lor the ulinosl economy in the udmini-i ration ■•!' the affairs ol Ihe 1-(111111 ry in nrdei llud the louden "I taxation now falling upon the men "U the land might hi' lessened. Mr Masse, in the course of Lis reply took very Strong exception to the emphasis Mi Hunt had laid upon tho pad-.us condition ol the mini industries, protesting that ii would seriously till pail the debit of the Dominion at Home and p ejmliee the negotiations he had on foot for raising a supplementary loan. Ktibscqtieiulv he took credit to himself in tie House for having prevented any of Mr Hunt’s derogatory statements being cabled abroad. SHEEP FARMERS REPUDIATE.

Bather more than a week after the deputation had waited upon the Prime Miuister the secretary of the New Zealand Shecpownet s and Farmers’ Federation wiote to Mr Massey stating that the members of that body wished to “dissociate themselves entirely from the expressions of opinion given by the speakers at the deputation and to

s.ate that they were invited to join with the other bodies represented for the express purpose of giving you our hearty good wishes and oiigratulations on your sale return to New Zealand and incidentally to formally urge the necessity for the abolition of preference to unionists under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act.” The secretary somewhat mixed his numbers, moods and tenses, hut the main put pore of his letter apepared to be that tie representatives of the Federation on the deputation. of whom lie was one. bail been greatly surprised by what Mr Hunt had saiil and fell they had been "induced to accompany Ihc deputation i! in It r a misapprehension." Mr Massey lead ibis letter ill the House at the eouelusioii of the Budget debate and asked members to accept it as justification of all he had said on the subjet. TellE OTHER SIDE.

An earlier stiuemeut fiom Mr Massey to the elfeet that members of the deputation hud written to him stating that they laid been "induced to attend tlic deputation under a misapprehension," had brought from Mr \\ J. Poison, tin* Dominion Piesident ol the Farmers’ Union, a prompt and pointed ictoit. "I am satisfied," All Poison wrote, “thin whoevei the individuals were who tiied to curry favour with Mr Massey afterwards, they were not members of tin* Farmers’ Union dcputathai, whom I know to lie loyal men with no backstairs proclivities." Mr A'.- IL Marshall, another representative of the Farmers’ Fniou, after reading the letter addressed to Alt Massey, gave its statements an emphatic denial, saying the representatives of the Sheepnivncrs’ Federation rook part in a meeting at which Mr Hum’s address was unaiii-moii-lv adopted and gave no indication during the interview with the Prim" Minister that they dissented from its wording or its sentiments. That seemed in dispose of till* liiisappichcnsioii contention altogether, since the representatives of the Xheepow tiers’ Fedoration were under no compulsion to join (lie deputation or subscribe to its representations. - THE PI.A LN FACTS.

Rut the must impuitanl statement til all still was to come. Mr W. D. Hunt when seen yesterday, jusi alter his tel mil to town from a business trip, said he had been surprised beyond expression on reading flu* letter the secretary of tilt* Slieopou hoi s’ Federation had addressed to Mr .Massey. As a matter oi fact the secretary ami hifellow repiesentalives on ilit* deputation hud Ikh’H piesent at a meeting of the promoters ol the movement when the wording and tone of the address were adopted without 1 1 it* slightest indication of disapproval. As far as he ion Id judge, the importance of impressing upon the Prime Minister the

need for the most drastic economy was recognised ly everyone present. During the com.so of the interview one of the secretary's colleagues laid emphasised the deputation's views on this point. There was never a word said in advance ahont expressing good wishes and congratulations to Air Massey, and it was left to .Air Marshall to repair this omission at the conclusion of the interview. Mr .lack, the Dominion Secretary of the farmers' Euinti. who acted as secretary to the deputation, confirmed in every particular Mr Hunt’s recollect ion of what had occurred.