MR FRASER'S SIDE OF CASE

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 243, 15 October 1942, Page 5

MR FRASER'S SIDE OF CASE

REASON FOR CHANGE.

P.A.

WELLINGTON, Oct. 15.

When asked to comment on Mr Langstone 's statement the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, said last night that Mr Langstone's resignation had been under consideration by the Government and accepted and in conformity with Mr Langstone's own wishes the Government had agreed to his immediate ^eturn to New Zealand. "Mr Langstone's complaint that, without explanation, I had appointed Mr Nash as Minister to the United States although definite arrangements had been made for his own appointment, is certainly not correct," said the Prime Minister. "The facts, briefly, are these: Mr Langstone was asked by me before I left for the Middle East in 1941 to go to Washington on a trade mission as the head of which he remained in the United States for the latter part of 1941, and, on my invitation, carried out a number of other duties, including attendance at the International Labour Conferenee in New York. "It is perfectly true that I proposed, subject to Cabinet approval, to. offer him, after the conclusion of his trade mission, the post of Minister in Washington, and that intention was frankly diseussed with Mr Langstone. But with the rapid deterioration of the situation in the Pacific, it was decided by the Government that New Zealand's vital .interests in the Pacific demanded Yepresentatiori in Washington by a member of the War Cabinet who was thoroughly conversant with developments in the Pacific and was fully informed of the Government's outlook and defence policy. It was decided, therefore, that MrNash should be the member of the War Cabinet to undertake this duty. . . . Mr Langstone gave no indication at that time that he objected to this decision which, in any case,'was justified by the turn of events. He was, moreover, asked to remain in Washington to sign the United Nations Declaration on behalf of New Zealand and to await the arrival of Mr Nash. "Shortly after Mr Nash reached Washington, I learned that Mr Langstone resented the fact that he had not been appointed Minister and he felt that he had been unfairly treated. I immediately informed Mr Langstone that I regretted that he should have misconstrued the circumstances of Mr Nash's appointment as New Zealand Minister to the U.S.A., and I stated that so far as my own attitude towards himself was concerned, it was my intention to place before Cabinet a suggestion that he should be asked to accept a High Commissionership. "There was then a further unexpected development which I feel I should also make known — shortly after Mr Nash's arrival in Washington we were informed of the proposal to establish a Far Eastern Council in London contrary to our

anticipations, when Mr Nash left, that this body would be centred in Washington. The Government decided that in such an event Mr Nash should proceed to London to act as our representative on that body and also on the British War Cabinet, and under those circumstances Mr Langstone was asked if he would accept appointment as Minister in Washington till such time as it was necessary for Mr Nash to return there, and he agreed to accept the post on these conditions The appointment would have been made had there not been a sudden reversal of decision as to the setting up of the Pacific War Council in Washington as an alternative to the London proposal. M? Nash was instructed under these circumstances to remain in Washington, and Mr Langstone was offered the High Commissionership in Canada, which he accepted for a term of three years. "Mr Langstone's action in ventilating overseas a personal matter such as this can only be aseribed to his feelings of disappointment. I can only say now, as I have already said to him, that in the hour of national danger personal interests and feelings are relatively unimportant and that at such a time it is the clear duty of every one to co-operate with the Government and assume any duty to which he may be assigned."