QUITE INCORRECT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5074, 12 January 1927, Page 2

QUITE INCORRECT.

THAT AMERICAN “INTERVIEW.” SIR FRANCIS BELL’S VERSION. Quite a flutter was caused in the House of Representatives last session when the Labour member for Auckland East (Mr J. A. Lee) launched, a thinly disguised attack on Sir Francis Bell, the. ammunition for the onslaught being provided by the appearance o'f £5OO in the External Affairs Department estimates for the expenses of New Zealand’s delegate to the League of Nations at Geneva. Mr Lee had wanted to know whether thht sum was for the expenses of an exCabinet tourist who had given an interview to the American newspapers in which he said “he did not give a damn about, world affairs.” Mr Lee considered that it was unfortunate that an “irresponsible political tourist” should give utterance to such sentiments in America. The Prime. Minister (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) made a reply to what he termed a “very irrational and hasty statement,” pointing out that it ill became any member to belittle a man who had performed such signal service for his country, and whose efforts had resulted to a great extent in securing for the Dominion the status it enjoyed to-day. Mr Coates indicated that he did not believe a word of the alleged interview, and observed that there was a readiness, on the part of nearly everybody to believe the worst that was said about their own people before confirmation arrived.

The was placed - beyond doubt last night (says Monday’s “Dominion”), when the point was raised with Sir Francis Bell himself upon his return to Welltagton by the Corinthic 'from London. In reply to a query by an interviewer Sir Francis Bell stated definitely that the interview referred to was. quite incorrect. When approached in America he had simply declined to discuss politics outside those of the Dominion.