ELECTION EPISODE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 May 1941, Page 6

ELECTION EPISODE

“NO THREATS OF FORCE” TRADES COUNCIL STATES ITS CASE. INTERVIEW WITH MR NATHAN. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. In reference to what it calls a sensational allusion by the Mayor of Wellington (Mr Hislop), the secretary of the Wellington Trades Council, in the course of a lengthy statement on behalf of the executive says that on Friday morning, Mr 11. L. Nathan was reported as having made a very vicious suggestion to the effect that Labour candidates, who were also trade union secretaries, would not carry out their duties impartially as they had to bow to the dictates of the unions. “Mr Nathan.” the statement continues, “was exceedingly careful not to refer to any individual candidate. Had he done so necessary steps would have been promptly taken. Only a baseless, ambiguous charge was made. Tile utter unfairness of Mr Nathan's statement and its complete absurdity will be apparent to every fair-minded person, when it is borne in mind the important part that trade unionists and their officials are taking in the present conflict. It is common knowledge that a large number of Mr Churchill's reliable and responsible colleagues are trades union officials."

It is added that with Mr Nathan's consent an interview was arranged and five delegates called on Mr Nathan. The published statement was read to Mr Nathan and he agreed "after some hesitation,” that the report was correct. “Then to the surprise and amazement of lhe representatives (the statement proceeds) he said he would not listen to any comment on it nor to any protest regarding it. He imperiously ordered the representatives from the room and acted in a most 'high-handed manner. In anticipation of the fact that Mr Nathan might probably act in this manner, a written protest had been prepared and this was read to him, despite his repeated interruptions. He then calmed down Sufficiently to enable the representatives to attempt to reason with him respecting his serious and sweeping allegations. He was requested either honestly to admit he had spoken hastily and unfairly, or openly and publicly to accuse any Labour candidate of malpractice, in order that the matter could be cleared up in a court of law. Mr Nathan refused to adopt either course. He was ’ then thanked for the interview and the delegation left. There were no threats cf force made. It was felt that a sense of propriety and fair play would lead Mr Nathan to right a palpable wrong, but unfortunately this was not so.” The Trades Council statement concludes: “We welcome any inquiry. We suggest that Mr Hislop should concern himself with correcting the untrue and friction-making statement of his colleague rather than attempt to use it to his advantage.”

CHARGE RESENTED DISCLOSURE BY MR HISLOP. WELLINGTON, This Day. Speaking at Brooklyn last night about the Nathan incident, the Mayor (Mr Hislop) said: —■ “I should like to refer to one statement. among others, believed to have been made by those who visited Mr Nathan on this occasion," Mr Hislop said. “Mr Nathan was accused of being a money grubber. I am now about to break a bond of confidence between Mr Nathan and myself. I have not asked Mr Nathan for his permission, and I risk his annoyance at doing so. “In the last 10 years Mr Nathan has on many occasions handed to me cn the strict instruction that it was to be anonymous, sums of money, in the first case for the assistance of people during the period of the depression, after that for various charitable and public objects, and more lately for war purposes. These have been donations not of £2, £lO or £2O. They have been never less actually than £5O, with the result that in this period he has handed me very large sums of money. Nobody other than myself and the city treasurer knows from whom they came. I have made this breach of confidence out of a sense of justice to a public-sp. ! ”ited and generous man who has been accused of being a mere money-grubber. “With regard to the matter as" a whole,” Mr Hislop said, “I say that from my personal knowledge of Mr Nathan I trust every word of his report of what took place on the occasion as being completely accurate.

“I want it to be known that I have the highest respect for many trade union secretaries I know and a real sympathy for the objects and aspirations of true unionism. But no greater disservice could be done to the cause of unionism, the cause of the development of the men. women and children of this country, than the action taken by a group in their attempt to intimidate Mr Nathan.”