WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1921, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

PRODUCERS’ REPUTATION. CONFLICTING STATEMENTS. (Special Correspondent.) Wellington, Nov. 30. Quite a little commotion has been occasioned in political circles by the curiously conflicting statements published concerning the deputation from the various producing interests which waited upon the Prime M/inister in the early part of last month. Mr. W. D. Hunt was the spokesman of the deputation and read a statement setting out in very plain terms the financial difficulties of the farmers and urging the need for the utmost economy in the administration of the affairs of the country in order that the burden of taxation now falling upon the men on the land might be lessened. Mr- Massey, in the course of his reply, took very strong exception to the emphasis Mr. Hunt had laid upon the parlous condition of the rural industries. protesting that it would seriously impair the credit of the Dominion at Home and prejudice the negotiations he had on foot £or raising a supplementary loan. Subsequently he took credit to i himself in the House for having pre- 1 vented any of Mr. Hunt’s derogatory statements being cabled abroad. SHEEP-FARMERS REPUDIATE. Rather more than a week after the deputation had waited upon the Prime I Minister the secretary~of the Ne,w Zea- | land Sheepowners and Farmers’ Federation wrote to Mr. Massey stating that the members of that body wished to i dissociate themselves entirely from the [ expressions of opinion given by the I speakers at the deputation and to state , that they were inviteH to join with the I other bodies represented for the express , purpose of giving you our hearty good wishes and congratulations on your safe return to New Zealand and incidentially to formally urge the necessity for the . abolition of preference to unionists under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act.” The secretary somewhat mixed his numbers, moods and tenses, but the main purport of his letter appeared to be that the representatives of the ‘Federation on the deputation, of whom he was one, had been greatly surprised b.y what Mr. Hunt had said and felt they bad been “induced to accompany the deputation under a misapprehension.” Mr. Massey read this letter in tl/e House at the conclusion of the"’ Budget debate and asked members to accept it as justification of all he had said on the subject. THE OTHER SIDE. Ah earlier statement from Mr. Massey to the effect that members of the deputation had written to him stating that they had- been “induced to attend the deputation under a misapprehension” had brought from Mr. W- J. Polson, the Dominion President of the Farmers’ Union, a and pointed retort. “I am astisfied,” Mr. Polson wrote, “that whoever the individuals were who tried to curry -favor with Mr. Massey afterwards, they were not members of the Farmers’ Union deputation, whom I know to be loyal men with no backstairs proclivities.” Mr. W. L. Marshall, - another representative of the Farmers’ Union, after reading the letter addressed to Mr. Massey, gave its statements an emphatic denial, saying the representa; tires of the Sheepowners’ Federation took part in a meeting at which Mr. Hunt’s address was unanimously adopted and gave no indication during the interview with the Prime Minister that they dissented from its wording or its sentiments. That seemed to dispose of the misapprehension contention altogether, since the representatives of the Sheepowners’ Federation were under no.compulsion to join the deputation or subscribe to its representations. THE PLAIN FACTS.

But the most important statement of all still was to come. Mr. W. D. Hunt, when seen yesterday, just after his return to town from a business trip, said he had been surprised beyond expression on reading the letter the secretary of the Sheepowners' Federation had addressed to Mr. Massey. As a matter of fact the secretary and his fellow representatives on the deputation had been present at a meeting of the promoters of the movement when the wording and tone of the address were adopted without the slightest indication of disapproval. As far as he could judge, the importance of impressing upon the Prime Minister the need for the most drastic economy was recognised by everyone present. During the course of the interview one of the secretary’s colleagues had emphasised the deputation’s views on. this 'point. There was never a word said in advance about expressing good wishes and congratulations to Mr. Massey, and it was left to Mr. Marshall to repair this omission at the conclusion of the interview. Mr. Jack, the Dominion secretary of the Farmers’ Union, who acted as secretary to the deputation, confirmed in every particular Mr. Hunt’s recollection o-f, What had occur-