STATE AND NEW GUARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 160, 8 July 1932, Page 7

STATE AND NEW GUARD.

POLICY STATEMENT SOON. POLICE UNHAMPERED. OFFICER'S DISMISSAL REPORTED. Within the next few days the New South Wales Premier (Mr. B. S. Stevens) will make a full etntement on the New Guard and the action the Government proposes to take on the police report of New Guard activities. He made that promise in the Legislative Assembly last week, and added that a police agent concerned in a recent New Guard case had been dismissed by the police. Mr. Stevens was asked by Mr. Hamilton Knight (Labour, Hartley) whether it was a fact that. a. police report to the Government recommended the prosecution of seven prominent members of the New Guard on charges of seditious conspiracy. What action did the Government propose to take? , Mr. Knight also asked whether instructions had been issued to the police not to proceed with investigations into Kew Guard activities. Mr. Stevens replied that any representations to the Government by responsible police officers would receive full and careful consideration. It was a fact that a. few weeks ago definite recommendations were submitted in a police report relating to the Xew Guard. That report was at present being carefully investigated by Crown Law officers. The Government would be guided entirely by the recommendation of the Crown Law authorities.

It was not the policy of the Government to interfere with the activities of responsible police officers. The police would be given unrestricted power to take all action necessary in preserving peace and good order. Lang Called to Order. Mr. Lang: Is it the Premier's intention to allow the inquiry to go on into the vicious and slanderous statements made by his colleague, Mr. Weaver, to ascertain whether his lying statements . . . The Speaker: Order! Order! Mr. Lang: .. . Whether Ms false statements can be sustained? Mr. Stevens said that it was true that tho Attorney-General in the last administration, Mr. Lamaro, had signed a minute appointing a magistrate to hold an inquiry of a restricted character. Tho present Government did not propose to proceed with an inquiry of that description. "The facts disclose, that my colleague's statement was neither vicious nor slanderous," Mr. Stevens continued. "I do not propose to anticipate the statement I will later make, but I will inform the House that a police agent who was actively engaged in the preparation of that case, has been dismissed by the police. I need say no more at the moment."