The Hokitika Guardian TUESDAY DEC. 6th 1921. PREMIER AND DEPUTATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1921, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian TUESDAY DEC. 6th 1921. PREMIER AND DEPUTATION.

This sequel to our Wellington cor respondent’s story of the avidity with which the Prime Minister seized upon a letter addressed to him by the secretary of the NeKv Zealand Sheep Owners and Farmers Federation to justify his somewhat ingraeious treatment of a deputation representing the primary producers which waited upon him a few weeks ago is published in the “Dominion” ol Friday. Mr M. D. Hunt one of the best knion u business men in the country, acted as spokesman of the deputation, having previously submitted his remarks to a meeting of the delegates, including representatives iif the Slicepowners and Farmrs’ Federation and received their very hearty approval for his line of argument. Mr Hunt’s wo ills were iefroshingle cordial. He told Mr Msasoy that many of the primary producers were so hard hit by the* decline in prices and the scarcity ami dearness of money that unless tin: Oovernment could afford them immediate relief by a reduction of taxation and all other possible means a large proportion of them would bo unable to carry on. Mr Hunt made his points with characteristic force and precision and his remarks were 'supported by appropriate comments from other members of; the deputation. In replying the Minister very bluntly, if not actually readily, turned upon Mr Hunt and

upbraided him with talking pessimism and despair in the presence of the newspaper reporters who might spread the evil tidings from one end of the world to the other and so gravely prejudice the credit of the country. Some time later Air Afassev had occasion to mention the deputation in the House of Representatives and stated incidentally that he had received communications from some of its members expressing strong dissent from llic view of the position later by Air Hunt and a desire to dissociate themselves from the whole proceedings. Air w . T. Poison, the Dominion President of the Fanners Union, who was a member of the deputation, having expressed some incredulity concerning Air Afas-

uey's statement, the Minister made it available fur publication. It proved to be a • letter from AfigAY. It. Nicholson the secretary of the Shcepowners and Farmers! Federation, who also bad Imsii a member of the deputation, iu which he repudiated the whole purpose and attitude of the deputation. "My Association," lie wrote wish to dissociate themselves entirely from the expressions ol opinion given by the speakers at the deputation and to state that we were invited to join with the other bodies represented for the express purpose of giving you our hearty good wishes on your return to New '.Zealand. . . The whole procedure and sentiments expressed by the speakers were a surprise to us and we felt that we had been induced to accom pany the deputation under n misapprehension." After this it seems necessary to repeat that Mr Nicholson and his fellow delegates from the Sheepowners and Farmers’ Federation had heard Afr Hunt's address read before it was delivered to the Prime Alinisster and had signified their approval of tile “whole procedure and the sentiments" expressed.

Now for the sequel. Air Alnssey had been hugging to his soul the Guttering unction that the members of the Sheepowners’ and Farmers’ Federation at any rate, approved of the catigation he had administered to Afr Hunt. But alack and alas, this comfort has flown. "In my letter to Afr Massey,” Mr Nicholson’s letter to Air Poison, published to Hie “Dominion” runs, “I unfortunately did’not make it sufficiently clear that my reference was solely remarks of speakers subsequent to Mr Hunt’s address, which as correctly stated by von was unanimously approved and which covered the question of taxation fully. . . I thought the remarks of speakers subsequent to . Air Hunt’s statement of the case were rather drastically critical of the previous ndminisstatiun bv the Government during what admittedly lias been the most difficult period in the history of the Dominion and stated that I could not necessarily subscribe to these views in their entirety. Alv executive then instructed me to write Air Massey to this effect. The wording of niy letter to him was 1 now realise, not sufficiently dear on the point mentioned, but for this T am personally to blame.” Nothing ( .mdd be handsomer than Air Nicholson’s withdrawal, except in one particular. This exception, however, somewhat' detracts from the amends he seeks to make. It was Mr Hunt who spoke the plain unvarnished words to which Mr Massey took such strong exception. The subsequent speakers were comparatively mild and unaggressive in their utterances. They merely wished to endorse the views of their leader and did this in a way that should have given the Prime Minister no offence. However the incident is now closed with the complete vindication of “the procedure and sentiments of the deputation and we have recited the sequel merely for the entertainment and instruction of our readers .