RESIGN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 174, 16 March 1932, Page 7

RESIGN

ALLEG ATION S THAT LANG IS DIVERTjlNG FUNDS. THE "LABOUR DAILY." "If the statement that the Premier holds a debenture for £13,764 6s 4d over the 'Labour Daily' is correct, and has.nsed public money in giving larger proportions of Government advert'sements to that paper than to other papers, he is no longer eligible to hold office, and should hand in his resignation." The Graziers' Association to-day decided to send this resolution to the Governor. Routine business was suspended to enable Mr. W. D. Gordon to move the motion. Mr. E. D. Ogilvie (New England), who seeonded the motion, said: "If the statement in 'The Daily Telegraph' is correct, then the Premier is indicted on a serious offence of using money which he holds in trust for you as taxpayerfe. "But there is another indictment which I consider to be more funda* mental — that of interfering with the freedom of the Press. "The/ whole basis of the struggle of this nation and of all other nations is to get away from two things — the private use of public money and the muzzling of the Press. "It is astounding to know that we have a Government — holding itself up as a model of democracy — infringing the two greatest principles democracy has brought to the British nation." Mr. J. .Ashton ( Yass) doubted whether they could pass the motion, as theirs was not a political body. "The charge made by 'The Telegraph' indicates a very grave public abuse," said Mr. O. J. McCutcheon (Gilgandra).

"As a body representing a very large class in -this State we would he lacking in oUr duty to the - public if such an abuse were permitted to continue without protest. "The aecusation," said Mr. R. L. Rix (Collarenebri), "is -not that Mr.' Lang has a £13,000 debenture over the 'Labour Daily,-' but that he is unfairly diverting -public funds to that 5 paper. We should do every thing we can to bring Mr. Lang to hook." •• "But we will be accused of taking action that Will get us -nowhere, merely on a newspaper report— an unreliable thing to take action in," protested Mr. E. D. O'Brien ( Quambone). : /• ' "This is a perfectly reliable paper," answered Sir Norman . Kater. ' 'The report shows that portion was a-copy taken from the records of the "Regis-trar-General's office, • qtherwise the paper would not have published the ( facts." When the motion was put there was a roar of "Ayes," and not a single "No." ~ - - »-*