STATEMENT CHALLENGED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 September 1943, Page 2

STATEMENT CHALLENGED

ALLEGATION BY PAHIATUA LABOUR CANDIDATE FARMERS’ UNION & POLITICS At a meeting of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union yesterday, Mr J. L. Heckler, Ihuraua, wrote drawing the executive’s attention to a statement, reported in the Press, in which Mr G. Hansen, Labour candidate for Pahiatua, stated that the Farmers’ Union was an organised body for the National Party and that he (Mr Hansen) knew that was so, as he had been a member of the Union and had since resigned. Mr Heckler said he had been a member of the Union for 20 years and the allegation was news to him. He considered that the statement was misleading and should be corrected. Mr W. J. Thomas said Mr Hon Roberts, M.P. for Wairarapa, had reported to a Labour Party Easter conference that he was able to put through a Farmers’ Union meeting a remit dealing with monetary reform. Mr Hansen tried to do the same thing and then left the Union. Mr Hansen, said Mr Thomas, had tried to make use of the Farmers’ Union for political purposes. Mr Hugh Morrison, president, pointed out that the executive had passed a resolution under which no part would be taken in politics and it was decided to forward Mr Hansen a copy of the resolution.