BACK TO AUSTRALIA

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 300, 3 December 1936, Page 6

BACK TO AUSTRALIA

MRS. FREER’S ATTEMPT fci- -L_ ' Radio c On Board Awatea. j ■ i ' ?i - .'-r. . , -Press Association —Copyright. Wellington, Doo. 2.. of the Commonwealth“ Government not-to admit 'into AustralL.-hho left Wehfcgfon the Awatcn for Sydney, by Mr. O’Donnell,- her legal a d-. t .■■ ■?■- s“ ’•••*■ ■ from nt Welling* ton whq,; were hr touch with Airs 'Freer priAr*to her departure elicfted the information -that It was expectedthat the Cabinet would not. i maintain ’the ban. Therefore the utiiassage bn the Awatea was arranged, : '<he Union Company'raising no ob- * Wetion. ’Airs Freer was in the posi- .! |hon that th© shipping company, as a . Jpmmon carrier.,bad no option'but no * f|ccept a passenger. It .is reported, however., that as a. •precaution a return ticket to New Ukealahd was .taken and an undertak'was given that any expense inpVolved to the 'shipping company’ through any inability to land 'the pasr' senger in Australia would be recouped by "Mrs Freer. 'That’Mrs Freer is a passenger on, Sithe Awatea was established to-day * when the Auckland Star spoke 'to the purser, Mr R. Piranl, .by radio-it)ele-phone, says an Auckland Press Association , message. A person-to-person'call was put through to the > Awatea for Mrs Freer, but as she declined to Come to the telephone the response .was .accepted from the .Parser. The reporter asked: “Is Mrs Freer on.board?” /•Mr Pirani: “Yes. She lb on ly-,<S ■ - • ' ?hoard. ■ ij. “Can she .come “do the tjelbphone,. please?” Pirani: “No. She is in her Btyftbin -in bed and the call cannot .bo ”put through, to her cabin.” The reporter informed the purser that.an important cable had been received indicating that 'the- -Ministry would not permit Airs Freer to land tin Australia, and thait the decision of Mr. .T, Patterson, .Minister of the “Ifiterior ,would be upheld. The purser undertook to convey the And, ■Obtain reply. After k about, two .minute she -returned, say‘“The only statement Mrs Freer WUF make is .that she twill await the Cabinet’s doe is ion. She says she has • Wre<to say-’*

The conversation was crystal clear, the voice of the Awatea’s purser being heard easily, as though he were talking from a telephone in the cfty. After the Federal Cabinet adjourned last night it w,as learned that the Ministry will, nbt permit Mrs Freer to l land and will uphold the decision of Mr Patterson, .stab’s a Sydney cable. ' .

Cabinet Storm Aroused In Australia.

-Press Association—Copyright. Canberra, Dec. 2. The Federal Cabinet to-day’ decided hot to allow Mrs Freer to enter Australia and not. to grant her an independent inquiry ...The AttorneyGeneral, .Air . Menzies/’■’■..•warned the Cabinet that he did not. believe such an attitude could he supported in the law e'rtnns.. 3, It is understood the decision was arrived at in order to save the composite Ministry from disruption. The Prime Minister subsequently made known the Government’s attitude in both Houses of Parliament, where he was received with a few “Hear! Hears!” Mr Patterson refused to answer further questions in the Hou'se of Representatives and' an angry 1 scene followed. Parliament is likely to end its session this week. There was plain speaking in the Cabinet to-day. Air Patterson had the backing of his leader, Dr Earle Page, and other Country Party Ministers' w’ho are able to wreck the Government, withdraw all .their Ministers or alternatively insist on' a complete reshuffle of portfolios. A section of the United Australia Party Ministers, including the Prime Minister and Air Menzies, smarting under constant Press criticism of the “Freer blunder,” was hopeful Mr Patterson would instead of resigning find some way of “gracefully climbing down.” The Country Party Ministers, however, adopted ian uncompromising attitude, rejecting all expedients directed to this end, with the result that the United Australia Party' Ministers found it necessary to capitulate in order <to avoid the more ’ serious danger which threatened.

Radio Interview With Legal Adviser.

Press Association —Copyright. Auckland, Last Night. A further effort to get in touch with Mrs Freer by radio telephone to it he

Awatea late to-night again failed., but Mr O’Donnel, who is travelling with her as an adviser, answered .the telephone. Mr O’Donnel said Mirs Freer had not yet officially been advised of the Federal Cabinet’s decision. If the Customs authorities again refused her permission to land at Sydney the whole position would have to be reconsidered. Mrs Freer’s lawyer at Auckland, Mr G. I’. Findlay, declined to comment on her case in any ’way’ to-night or to disclose what further action might be ‘taken in view of the Federal Cabinet’s decision to refuse her admission to Australia.