A REPORT DENIED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 September 1938, Page 7

A REPORT DENIED

ALLEGATIONS OF ESPIONAGE IN AUCKLAND STATEMENT BY MR SAVAGE (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A report circulated in some • New Zealand newspapers, asserting that two overseas visitors, Messrs E. de Rothschild and N. Purcell-Fitzgerald stated that some Japanese in Auckland were using cameras with telescopic lenses, and apparently mapping out Auckland defences, having been repudiated by both men to the Consul-General for Japan at Sydney, the Consul-General for Japan, at Wellington, Mr K. Gunji, has forwarded a written protest to the Prime Minister, complaining against the untruth of the newspaper report. Mr Savage has given permission to Mr Gunji'to publish his.reply. In the course of this the Prime Minister says: “I may- state that my Government has no evidence as to the .authority of the statement in question, and in view, of the denial by Messrs Rothschild and Fitzgerald of any responsibility, it would seem that some misunderstanding has arisen. The newspaper statement, in any event, does not appear to be founded on fact, and I feel sure your countrymen would not be parties to any such proceedings as that refeired to.” , . , . The original report was contained in a Christchurch newspaper and it was widely reprinted, and was the subject of a question in the House of Representatives on June 30, when the Minister for Defence was asked whether his attention had been directed to the newspaper report.