ANOTHER PROTEST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1940, Page 5

ANOTHER PROTEST

MADE BY VICE=PRESIDENI OF PARTY TREATMENT OF LEE ISSUE. PUBLICATION OF REPORTS CRITICISED. DUNEDIN. April 7. Strong dissatisfaction with the procedure adopted of authorising publication of portions of discussion on the Lee issue at the recent Labour conference in Wellington was expressed in.an interview tonight by Dr D, G. McMillan, M.P., vice-president of the party. Dr McMillan also alleged that the figures published in the Press of the voting at the caucus of the Parliamental - Labour Party, at which Mr Fraser was elected leader, were not correct. Dr McMillan said that, though it was expected that Mr Lee would be censured, bis expulsion from the party had come as a surprise Io many members. Asked to reconcile Mr Loe’s expulsion with his own election as vicepresident, he said il indicated that conference favoured majority rule, but objected to the methods Mr Lee had adopted. “Most delegates wore shocked at the publication in the party’s official organ and the daily Press of excerpts of the discussion on lhe Lee issue,” Dr McMillan said. "The discussion took place in committee with the galleries cleared of party members. Most delegates regarded this procedure as being in the best interests of lhe party, and accordingly were astounded when they read selected reports in the Press. “I understand that the Hon D. Wilson, M.L.C., on behalf of the Press Committee, approved of publication ” Dr McMillan added. “This is doubly unfortunate, because some of Mr Wilson’s remarks, which have been published in full, are not in accord with fact. Some are only half correct and some were expressed in unfortunate language.” Referring to the election of a leader. Dr McMillan said his only comment

was that the voting figures published in the Press were not the correct ones. He added, however, that as the elected leader Mr Fraser would receive the entire support of every member of the Labour Party.