ELECTION EPISODE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 September 1943, Page 3

ELECTION EPISODE

MR J. ROBERTSON DENIES OFFER TO WITHDRAW ON TERMS ALLEGED BY CRITICS STATE OF BROADCASTING FUNDS LARGE SUM EARMARKED FOR DEVELOPMENT A very friendly reception was given Mr J: Robertson, Labour candidate for the Masterton seat, when he addressed about 700 electors in the State Theatre, Masterton, last night. Mr Robertson replied to charges made by Messrs J. L. Heckler and W. Horne as to what had happened at a recent political meeting at Alfredton and at the conclusion" of his address was accorded a vote of confidence by acclamation. There were very few interjections. The Mayor. Mr T. Jordan, who presided, read a letter sent to him as chairman from Mr J. L. Heckler, asking him to read a solemn declaration under the Justices of the Peace Act, 1927, reaffirming Mr Heckler’s assertions of what occurred at the Alfredton meeting. The declaration, which was on the lines of Mr Heckler’s letter in the Press, was signed before Mr A. D. Low, J.P. Mr Robertson said the document read by Mr Jordan was a repetition of the statement which appeared over the signatures of Messrs J. L. Heckler and W. Horne in the “Times-Age” on September 10. At Alfredton Mr Heckler and his son camo to the meeting with a whole list of questions. Mr Heckler: “Excuse me, Mr Robertson, two sons.” The chairman: “Now, there is to be none of this.” “MACHINE-MADE QUESTIONS” Mr Robertson said Mr Heckler and his sons had a long list of machinemade questions that were got up at election time by the National Party. The questioners as a rule did not 'know the meaning of the questions they put. On this occasion, said Mr Robertson, referring to the Alfredton meeting, Mr Heckler had a whole host of questions, including one in regard to broadcasting. Mr Heckler never even knew that the Broadcasting Department issued a balance sheet though one was issued every year. The question in regard to the broadcasting account was not put in the form that Mr Heckler now stated. Mr Heckler was asking why there was so much money lying there in the account —a sum of over £1.000,000 —when he (Mr Robertson) said there was no such sum as that lying in the account. Mr Heckler said “How much is there?” Mr Robertson said he replied that it was less than £lOO,OOO and probably nearer £50,000. A large programme was proposed in regard to broadcasting, including the establishment of new stations and a large Broadcasting House in Wellington, with a Conservatorium of Music.. Work on the project was stopped following the outbreak of war, but the funds were earmarked and put aside for the purpose of completing that programme. The members of the Public Accounts Committee, which included members of the Opposition, had never regarded the accumulated funds as lying at the disposal of the Broadcasting Department, as they were earmarked for a specific purpose. Mr Robertson said that when he said there was about £50.000 lying to the credit of the Broadcasting Account he was practically correct, as the actual amount was £57,819 and there was another £444 in the imprest account. The statement he had made in regard to the cash lying to the credit of the account was substantially correct. (Applause). THE LICENCE FEE As a matter of fact, Mr Robertson said, he did not think that the questioner ever got so far as to ask about a reduction' of broadcasting licence fees. Mr Robertson said that for the fee of 25s a year —less than 6d a week—the public received a splendid service, which he regarded as a good bargain. When they compared New Zealand’s position with that of Great Britain, where the fee was 10s a year, they had to remember that Great Britain had a population of 44,000,000 against New Zealand’s 1,750,000. It would be wrong to use the funds for reducing the licence fees at this stage, in view oaf the programme that was ahead. There was also provision to be made for television. LABOUR & THE BANKS In regard to his statement that he would withdraw from the contest, Mr Robertson said Mr Heckler had got very much confused amongst, the multiplicity of questions that were asked. He expressed his doubts as to whether Mr Heckler had written the letters which had appeared in the Press. Mr Heckler: “Certainly I did.” Mr Robertson said that amongst the many questions asked him was one, why had not the Government taken over the banks as it had promised to? Mr Robertson said he replied that the Government had never promised to take over the banks. The questioner said it was in the Labour Party’s 1935 manifesto. Mr Robertson said he replied that there was nothing of the kind in that manifesto and if Mr Heckler could find it in any Labour Party manifesto in 1935 he would retire from the contest. They had seen these little plots before in an effort to try to win the seat. It was the only way they had any possible hope of getting it. ’ (Applause). ALFREDTON EVIDENCE. Mr Robertson stated that after the Alfredton meeting he went on to Tiraumea and on the following day to Pongaroa. When he was at Pongaroa he had a telephone call from Masterton telling him about the letter in the Press. He had replied that he would let the matter remain until he got back to Masterton. Another telephone message came from Alfredton, asking him if he had seen the letters in the. paper. On the following morning Mr Robertson said he rang Alfredton and was told the statement of Mr Heckler was entirely incorrect and that the question on which the candidate had offered to resign was a different one altogether. Mr Robertson said he asked, in order to confirm his own view, what question it was about. He was told the one concerning the banks. Mr Robertson said Mr Heckler had got confused over j the questions he had fired off like a machine-gun. He was not going to be made the victim of Mr Heckler’s mistakes. Fourteen residents of Alfredton at the meeting had sent a letter to the local Press stating that Mr Heckler's statement was incorrect. (Applause).. At the meeting, said Mr Robertson, there were 31 people present, two of whom were young boys and were not electors. Then there were himself and a gentleman who came with him. That