MR C. G. SCRIMGEOUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 August 1938, Page 6

MR C. G. SCRIMGEOUR

PROBABLY RETAINING PRESENT POST NOT STANDING FOR PARLIAMENT (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Although no official information is forthcoming, there are stated to be reliable grounds for believing that Mr C. G. Scrimgeour will not relinquish his post as Controller of the National Commercial Broadcasting Service. Mr Scrimgeour’s resignation was placed in the hands of the Government early this month, but in announcing this fact in the House of Representatives last week the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, stated that he, for one, did not wish to accept it. • The- position now appears to be that the Government has asked Mr Scrimgeour to reconsider his resignation, and it is understood that he is prepared to continue in office. A statement on the position is likely to be made in the near future. Rumours that he would stand for Parliament were denied by Mr Scrimgeour, in an interview in Wellington yesterday. “I do not intend to stand for Parliament,” he said, “and, what is more, not once in the last seven years have I thought of standing.” Mr Scrimgeour also denied rumours that he had obtained a position in Australia or America.

“JUST CARRIES ON” STATEMENT BY MR SAVAGE. NO CONDITIONS IMPOSED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A statement that the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting, Mr C. G. Scrimgeour, who recently tendered h\s resignation to the Government, would be continuing in his position, was made today by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage). “Mr Scrimgeour simply placed himself in my hands,” said Mr Savage, “and my attitude was made clear in the House. When we decided to set up the Commercial Broadcasting Department he was looked upon as the best man in the country for the job, largely because of his makeup and general outlook. Of course he has been subjected to severe‘criticism right up to the present day, until his outburst over the air. I am not defending his outburst over, the air, but as I said in the House, I understand it quite well. The result of it all is that, having received communications himself from all parts of the country and I have received them too, not only from individuals but also from organisations, he came to the conclusion that the best thing for him to do was to place himself in the hands of the Prime Minister. Well, the Prime Minister says he is going on with his job. That is the thing in a nutshell.” Asked if there would be any restrictions regarding Mr Scrimgeour’s broadcast talks, Mr Savage said: “There are no conditions at all. He just carries on.”