PREMIER'S REPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 29, 4 February 1933, Page 7

PREMIER'S REPLY.

MR. STALLWORTHY'S STAND.

"DISREGARD OF PLEDGES."

(By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day,

After receiving the letter from Mr. A. J. Stall worthy (Eden), virtually resigning from the Coalition, the Prime Minister, the Et. Hon. G. W. Forbes, sent the following reply: "I desire to acknowledge receipt of your letter intimating that it is nob your intention to attend any further caucus of the Government party. I may. say that your letter has not come as a surprise, because it has not escaped my notice that since you had safely assured vour return as a supporter of the Coalition Government at the last general election you have never shown any desire to be helpful to the Government in the very difficult duty they had to carry out, the performance of which was bound to give rise to some unpopularity. "On the contrary, you have shown dis regard of the pledges given at that election, and you have consistently adopted a hostile attitude toward the Government. "I must, however, take the strongest exception to the paragraph in which you state that 'a small minority by receiving advance information of the pending rise in exchange have secured inordinate o-ains at the cost of distress and ruin of fellow citizens.' If the insinuation is intended that certain people received premature information of the government's decision improperly _ thiough Ministerial sources, then I desire to say that such an insinuation is absolutely without foundation, and in my opinion is unworthy of one who has so recently held Ministerial office himself. "I observe that you have handed your letter to the Press. I propose to take a similar course in connection with this reply." "Disastrous Policy." On receipt of the Prime Minister's letter Mr. Stallworthy sent the follow ing reply: — "Your suggestion that I haves-hown disregard for pledges given at the last Si» i» unwarranted unworthy of you, and untrue Mj con stituents fully that, your vacillating and disastrous policy has made it impossible for any man firm principles or inteiligence to Sur port you. Your statement in the House yesterday that you 'didn't care tuppence about changing your mind °n matters of vital national policy, when y vacillation has caused fin^j al and ruin to thousands of ourfellow citizens, makes me sad for So «T y he f ma>r U, pledge the Coalition, gava to electors in December, 1931 was; to maintain the national finances oll ® sound basis.' In serious violation of that pledge, after a cruel policy.of deflation, you now disclose a j Budget with a gross deficit of near y ten million pounds for next year, I liir °. £ as a result of your volte face on high exchange. It will be clear to electors that the defection from election P' €< J? G ® is yours, not mine. In your vacillatio I can find no relation to established, principles and no valid claim to suppor "With reference to advanced exchange • information, I had no intention of . gesting this was given through Cabinet channels, and regret that you interpreted. ; my remark in that way. I refer you i again to my original letter, and enclose a copy of a resolution of endorsement passed unanimously at a crowded meeting of my constituents on January 24.