MAYOR’S REPLY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1942, Page 3

MAYOR’S REPLY

NOT ACCEPTED AS APOLOGY REFERENCE TO AUSTRALIANS. MATTER PLACED IN HANDS OF GOVERNMENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Following on the resolution adopted by the Wellington branch of the Australian Imperial Forces Association of Ex-servicemen and the reply by the mayor of Wellington, Mi’ Hislop, thereto published yesterday, the secretary of the association,. Mr G. H. Ashton, made a statement as under: “Mr Hislop’s reply is an apparent vindication of the words in his speech about which my association has made no complaint whatever. In order that the matter should be placed in its proper perspective, the words complained of should be read side by side with Mr, Hislop's reply. This cannot be done because we are advised that it is not in the public interest to publish the words.” * The statement alleged that Mr Hislop made insulting and altogether unwarranted references to Australian leaders and most particularly the Second A.I.F. which went far beyond fair criticsm. “We give place to no one, not even Mr Hislop, in our admiration of the people of England, and we are quite sure that the people of England would’ not appreciate Mr Hislop as a champion of their cause, if he has to achieve his ends by a grossly insulting attack on Australia. Mr Hislop has not denied that he used the words complained of. “My association is not prepared to accept this reply as an apology for the words complained of. Mr Hislop has endeavoured to make it appear that the references he made were not confined to Australia. People who heard that speech, many Australians among them, are of >the opinion that thej r were left in no doubt that the whole tenor of the words we complain of had reference to Australia and nowhere else. . . . In our opinion it is a matter about which the Government of New Zealand must take appropriate action and not blind itself to the possible effect that such utterances can have on the Australian community in New Zealand. We are accordingly placing the whole matter in the hands of the Prime Minister. As Mr Hislop made a statement direct to the Press and has not replied to the letter of my association, this statement is accordingly released direct to the daily Press.”