MINISTER’S REMARKS

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20502, 19 May 1938, Page 8

MINISTER’S REMARKS

STRONG EXOEPTION TAKEN JOURNALISTS DENY CHARGE (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday Strong exception to remarks by the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, in his public address at Lower Hutt on Monday night, was taken at a meeting of the literary staff of the Dominion. The meeting decided unanimously to forward the following letter to the Minister:— “ At a meeting of the literary staff of the Dominion to-night strong exception was taken to the following statement made by you in your address at Lower Hutt on Monday:— ‘ The staff of the Dominion are instructed to write letters to the editor condemning the Government.’ The allegation is absolutely untrue. No member of this staff has ever been instructed by the editor or the management to write letters to the editor on any subject whatever, much less on politics. We take your remarks and their implications as a totally unwarranted reflection on the integrity of working journalists. The meeting unanimously recorded an emphatic protest. As your remarks were made publicly, we were instructed by the meeting to hand a copy of this letter to the Press. Since we can only assume you were misinformed on a question of fact, we hope you will take an early opportunity publicly to withdraw your statement.” The letter was signed by three se'nior members on behalf of the mcet-