MRS FREER’S CASE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 28, 12 November 1936, Page 5

MRS FREER’S CASE

REASON FOR HER EXCLUSION. INFORMATION FROM INDIA. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. (United Press Association—Copyright.) CANBERRA, November 11. Mr T. Paterson (Minister for the Interior), replying to Mr McCall (a Government member in the House of Representatives) made the following statement on the exclusion of Mrs M. M. Freer from Australia: “Information was conveyed to the Department of the Interior that an Australian military officer, who has a wife and child in Australia, had become entangled with a Mrs Freer in India, and was coming to Australia on the same steamer as Mrs Freer. The information received from India was of such a nature as to indicate that Mrs Freer was a person of undesirable character, and in view of these facts, I approved of action being taken to exclude her from landing in Australia.” Mr McCall asked on what authority Customs officials could supply confidential information, unknown to the Minister, to a representative of another Government concerning the immigration laws, as was apparently done in this instance, Mr Paterson replied that under a reciprocal arrangement, it was customary for confidential information to be furnished between the Customs authorities in Australia and New Zealand without reference to the Minister. It was regarded as largely a matter of form. Mr McCall asked, in the event of Mrs Freer returning, would she be subjected to a second dictation test. Mr Paterson: That is a hypothetical question. I cannot answer. A Labour member, Mr Mulcahy: Can the Minister say who was the informant, and who adjudged Mrs Freer undesirable ?

Mr Paterson: I am not prepared to add to my statement. A Sydney message says the “Sun” this evening features a radio telephone conversation with Mrs Freer at Auckland; in which she said she was deeply resentful of the Minister’s aspersions on her character. Questions about Mrs Freer’s exclusion from the Commonwealth were also asked in the Senate. The Minister in charge (Senator Sir George Pearce) asked for notice of the questions. FULL EXPLANATION DEMANDED. MOTION BY DIR J. S. GARDEN. (Received This Dav, 11.20 a.m.) , CANBERRA, This Day. A full explanation of the reasons which / actuated Mr Paterson in ordering the exclusion from the Commonwealth of Mrs Freer will be demanded in the House of Representatives today. Mr J. S. Garden has notified the Speaker of his intention to move the adjournment of the House this afternoon to discuss “a matter of urgent public importance—the exclusion of Mrs Freer from Australia.” COMMENT RESERVED. MRS FREER READS EXPLANATION (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 11. “I am glad Mr Paterson has made a statement —if only lie bad said something three weeks ago,” said Mrs Freer after reading a copy of the Canberra cable message. She showed keen interest in the explanation given by Mr Paterson, and read certain parts of the statement more than once. ‘‘So 1 am a person of undesirable character,” said Mrs Freer, as she came to the part of the Minister’s statement .referring to information received from India. ‘‘That’s all I want,” she added.- ‘‘He’s got to prove that. ‘‘This is getting India’s back up,” was another remark of Mrs Freer’s, as she finished reading the cable message. ‘‘Not until I see my solicitor in tlie morning,” replied Mrs Freer, when asked to comment on the Minister’s statement. “I am very sorry for Mr Paterson: —deeply sorry,” was her parting remark.