FALSE RUMOURS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1943, Page 3

FALSE RUMOURS

PROPERTY HELD BY MINISTERS. THREAT OF PROSECUTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CRISTCHURCH, February 9. “I am amazed at the number of rumours, without the slightest foundation of truth, about the properties held by Ministers of the Crown,’’, said the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, today. He offered to give £5O to any person or persons who could give him information which would trace the origin of the rumours and provide evidence which would enable him to take proceedings, i “For instance, I am accused of having invested money in quite a number of hotels,” said Mr Webb. “I am surprised to know the extent to which such false rumours have circulated. I say definitely, and I challenge any person to dispute it, that I have never invested a penny in any business other than my own, either in Christchurch or Wellington, or any other place. In fact, I would be bordering on the millionaire stage if all the rumours were true.”

Persons who circulated these rumours, said Mr Webb, were lying for political purposes. They had circulated a story that he was seen at a race meeting in Auckland with a pair of binoculars which had been handed in for military purposes and that, when accused by the owner of the binoculars, he said, “Oh, well, don’t say anything about it. I have just got them for the day."

“It is a contemptible lie and has received wide circulation throughout the country.” said Mr Webb. “At the moment I am contemplating taking proceedings against a man who, in the presence of others, said he was with the owner when he approached me.” Another lie which had been in circulation for nearly 12 months was that on his visit to Fiji with the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, he had been dumped in a river by soldiers. “The facts arc that we held the finest meetings it was possible to hold, and that on my return from Suva I sent out 400 messages at the request of soldiers, informing their relatives that their menfolk were well and were sending Christmas greetings through me,” he added. The latest rumour, said the Minister, was that he was a very large shareholder of United Dairies, Ltd., Christchurch. “I hardly knew such an or-

ganisation existed,” he said, “but some of the whisper-mongers have set in circulation a story that I am associated with the company. In Australia at this moment a law has been passed imposing heavy penalties on rumour and scare mongers who undermine morale or confidence in the Government.”