MR FRASER'S COMMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 15 October 1942, Page 4

MR FRASER'S COMMENT

COMPLAINT NOT CORRECT | MR LANGSTONE TO RETURN TO NEW ZEALAND Wellington, This Day | wiicii asked t<* comment. <*n Mi ; I.angstoiie's statement the Prime Min ! ist. r. Mr. Fraser, said last night that i Mr. La oust one’s resignation had Uen ! under consideration l»v the Govern ment and accepted and in conformitv ! with Mr. Langstone’s ovrn wishes the ' Government had agreed i<> his immed into return to NYw Zealand. "Mr. Langstone’s complaint that, without explanation, I had appointed Mr. N'a>h :>s Minister to the United States although definite arrangements had been made for his own appointment, is rertainly not correct," said tin- Prime Min ister. •'The fads, bi'iotly. are these: Mr. j Langstone was asked hy me Indore i j left for the ..Middle East in 1041 to go | to Washington on a trade mis-ion ns l the head of which he remained in the 1 United States lor the latter part of 11)41. and, <ui my invitation, carried out * a number of other duties, including at- ; tendance at tin* International l.ai>"iir I Conference in New York. J "It is perfectly true that i p:«.i*»sed. ! subject lo Cabinet approval, to offer ■ him, after the conclusion of hi - trade ! mission, the post of Minister in Wa-'h- | ing ton, and that intention was frankly ' discussed with Mr. Langstone. But with tie* rapid deterioration of the >iti nation in the Pacific, it was decided by | tin < »ov< t nun nt tha New Z< aland’s ! vital interests in the Pacific demanded ! representation in Washington by a I 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. -Mr. Nash should I Ih* the member ->f War Cabinet •to undertake this duty, though | earlier in the year, when the situation ! was not so grave. Iha n-t considered j such an arrangement would he possibb , Aecordiugly, early in December. 1 sent a telegram to Mr. Langstone explaining ihat on account of the growing crisis in I ihe Pacific and the necessity of having ' a Minister in the United States who hail b.'cit in closest touch with British and Dominion policy, strategy, decisions and activities, the Government had decided i to ask Mr. Nash to accept a temporary Was ngl*m. Mr. Lang ; Mono gave no indication at that time j that lie objected to (his decision which. in any case was justified by the turn «•[ ; events. He was. moremer. asked to remain in Washington to sign the United ; Nations Declaration on behalf of N- % Zealand and to await :he arrival of .Mr. | Niisli. Mr. Langstone's Resentment. -Shortly after Mr. Nat»h reached Wash- ; ngtou, 1 learned that Mr. Langstone nsenled the fact that he had not. been appointed Minister and lie felt that lie had been unfairly treated. 1 immediately informed Mr. Langstone that I regretted j ilmt be should have misconstrued the circumstances of Mr. Nash’s appointment as N<*w Zealand Minister ;o tinU S.A., and I stated that so far as my I own attitude toward himself <.oni he asked to accept a High Commissioner- ; “There was then a further unexpected ! development which 1 fee.! L .should also make known —shortly after Mr. Nash's ; arrival in Washington we wore inform.-: of the proposal to establish a.Far Eastern Council in London contrary t.. ..nr ai.Uei nations, when Mr. Nash left, that tliii>ody would be centred in Washington. The Government decided that in such an event Mr. Nash should proceed to London to a**t ns our re prose Hint budi and al-o on the British War Gal.i net. and under those circumstance* Mr. Langstone was asked if he would accept appointment as Minister in Washington N a.- h ri-( urn there, and he a-iv. accept the post on these conditions. Th * appointment would have been made had ei'-ii'n aV to ihV-ei'/inc 'np n ..V the Pacific War Council :n Washington as an alternative ('• the London proposal. Mr. Nash was instructed under these cirnim~lane,\s t< ( remain in Washington, am! Mr. Uang-tone was offered the High <7unmissionersliip in Canada, which he accepted for a term of three years. "Mr. L:w:g>tone’s anion in ventilating i.wrseas a personal matter sueli as tins run only he ascribed to his feelings of disappoint ment. I can onb say now. as I have already said to him. that in the hour of national danger personal inferc«u and feelings are relatively uuim "'ii1 1 tlie Goverumeni aiu! assume any duty vhich he may be assigned."—P.A.