MR F. LANGSTONE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 October 1942, Page 3

MR F. LANGSTONE

RESIGNATION OF POST IN. CANADA BECAUSE OF DIFFERENCES WITH PREMIER. EXPECTED TO BE MINISTER AT WASHINGTON. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) OTTAWA, October 13. Mr F. Langstone lias resigned liis position as High Commissioner for New Zealand. He said he had done so because of differences with Mr Fraser.

Mr Langstone, who expects to return to New Zealand this month, complained that though definite arrangements were made for his appointment as Minister to the United States, Mr Fraser, without explanation, appointed Mr Nash instead.

Mr Langstone said that when he asked Mr Fraser for an explanation at Ottawa on. September 5, Mr Fraser incorrectly contended that the Washington offer was conditional on whether Mr Nash was able to go to Washington or not. Mr Langstone added: “I refreshed Mr Fraser’s memory that this was not so, and in view of what took place I have resigned the High Commissionership and, when I return to New Zealand, will resign as a Minister in the Fraser Government.”

He said he strongly resented any form of false pretence and doublecrossing, or untrue statements, or being treated like a schoolboy even by the Prime Minister, particularly while he was a member of Parliament and a Minister of the Crown.

MR FRASER’S COMMENT

EXPLANATION OF CHANGE IN PLANS.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day

“Mr Langstone’s complaint that, without explanation, I had appointed Mr Nash as Minister to the United States although definite arrangements had been made for his own appointment, .is certainly not correct,” the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) said last night in stating that the Government had accepted Mr Langstone’s resignation and agreed to his immediate return to New Zealand.

“The facts, briefly, are these,” the Prime Minister added: “Mr Langstone was asked by me before I left for the Middle East in 1941 to go to Washington on a trade mission as the head of which he remained in the United States for the latter part of 1941, and, on my invitation, carried 'out a number of other duties, including attendance at tne International Labour Conference in New York. “It is perfectly true that I proposed, subject to Cabinet approval, to offer him, after the conclusion of his trade mission, the post of Minister in Washington, and that intention was frankly discussed with Mi’ Langstone. But with the rapid deterioration of the situation in the Pacific, it was decided by the Government that New Zealand’s vital interests in the Pacific demanded representation in Washington by a member of the War Cabinet who was thoroughly conversant with developments in the Pacific and was fully informed of the Government’s ’ outlook and defence policy . It was decided, therefore, that Mr Nash should De the member of War Cabinet to undertake this duty, though earlier in the year, when the situation was not so grave, I had not considered such an arrangement would be possible. Accordingly, early in December, I sent a telegram to Mr Langstone explaining that on account of the growing crisis in the Pacific and the necessity of having a Minister in the United States who had been in closest touch with British and Dominion _ policy, strategy, decisions and activities, the Government had decided to ask Mr Nash to accept a temporary appointment in Washington. Mr Langstone gave no indication at that time that he objected to this decision which, in any case was justified by the turn of events. He was, moreover, asked to remain in Washington to sign the United Nations Declaration on behalf of New Zealand and to await the arrival of Mr Nash. , “Shortly after Mr Nash reached Washington, I learned that Mr Langstone resented the fact _ that he had not been appointed Minister and he felt that he had been unfairly treated. I immediately informed lyli Langstone that I regretted that he should have misconstrued the circumstances of Mr Nash’s appointment a New Zealand Minister to the U.S.A., and I stated that so far as my own attitude toward himself was . c °Y lC hpf nre it was my intention to place e^9. re Cabinet a suggestion that he should be asked to accept a High CommissionerSh Mr Fraser stated also that when it was thought that the Pacific Wai Council was to be set up in London it was decided that Mr Nash should g there to represent New Zealand on that body and also on the British Wai Cabinet/ Under these circumstances Mr Langstone was asked iJ.J. e ,w° ul Y accept appointment as Minister in Washington until it was ne S?® sa Mr Nash to return there. Mi Lang stone agreed to accept the post on these conditions. When it was decided that the Pacific War c 9?? n Sl 1 be set up in Washington, Mr Nash was instructed to remain there and Mi Langstone was offered the High Commissionership in Canada, which he accepted for a term of three yea :. “Mr Langstoine’s acti o n ,A n , such ing overseas a personal mattei su as this can only be ascribed to his. feelings of disappointment, said tne Prime Minister P “I can only say now as I have already said to him, that in the hour of national danger personal interests and feelings aie relatively unimportant and that at such a tim S is the clear duty of everyone to cooperate with the Government and assume any dutv to which he may be assigned.” ■