“FIFTH COLUMN”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1940, Page 5

“FIFTH COLUMN”

IN REGARD TO PATRIOTIC EFFORT ACCORDING TO MR HAYDEN. ALLEGATIONS DENIED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “A Fifth Column is at work, not only in regard to our war effort, but also in. regard to the patriotic effort, ’ said Mr Hayden, secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board today. He had had several instances, the latest being, he said, "a statement that Major Abel was receiving remuneration at the rate of £1.500 a year for the job he had undertaken of organising the Dominion in connection with the million pounds all purposes patriotic appeal. Nothing was further from the truth. Major Abel was not receiving a penny piece from the board for-his services, or from the eleven patriotic councils. He was, in point of fact, making a very great personal sacrifice. Not only was he giving daily the greater part of his own time and energy to the organising work, but he was also using his own paid staff to assist him in various ways. "I think it is only fair when an attack of this kind is made on a man who is doing wonderful work in the interests of the men of our forces.” said Mr Hayden, "that the facts should be made clear to the public, though I regret that circumstances should have arisen to make this necessary.”