"NATHAN CASE"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 192, 15 August 1941, Page 8

"NATHAN CASE"

NO POLICE ACTION

EVIDENCE LACKING

MINISTER'S STATEMENT (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary R.eponer.) WELLINGTON", this day. More was heard of the ' Nathan case" arising out of the Wellington municipal elections in the House of Representatives to-day The acting-Minister in Charge of the Police Department, Mr. Webb, stated that there was not a particle of evidence to justify the police taking action. It was quite open, however, for Mr. Nathan, through his solicitors, to take action at any time should he desire, and to have the whole case ventilated through the Court. He invited legal members of the Opposition to go through the evidence.

The discussion arose when Mr. Bodkin (National. Central Otagoi asked whether the case could be presented to the Cour» to adjudicate upon. "I think the situation demands investigation in the open Court," continued Mr. Bodkin. "After all there is some evidence, and it is for a court of justice to say whether that evidence justifies a conviction or not. I cannot imagine anything that would be more disturbing in this country than for the impression to get abroad that there had been Government interference with the activities of the Police Department.

In his reply, Mr. Webb dealt with steps that had been taken by competent detectives to investigate the charges made, and said that although the incident was alleged to have occurred at the end of one week, it was not reported to the police until the beginning of the next week. He referred to the statement that had been taken. The men against whom the charges had been made, he said, had made a statement denying that they used offensive language, although they had said they had reproached Mr. Nathan because of remarks they alleged he had made about union secretaries contesting local body elections. " Great Disservice " Mr. Webb thought these men had done a great disservice to the public life of the country by going to Mr. Nathan's office. If they had been guilty of what Mr. Nathan claimed they were guilty of. then he would not have the slightest compunction in putting the law into operation to the fullest possible extent. There might be more in it than what the police had been able to gather, but there was not a particle of evidence to justify the police taking action.

It was the duty of the Government to see that candidates in any elections were left free from outride influence, said Mr. Endean (National. Remuera), and it was not right to throw onus on a private individual to decide whether there should be a prosecution or not. It was not the duty of the police to say that they could not get a conviction. The duty of the police was to say whether or not there was a case to answer.

Mr. Lee (Democratic Labour. Grey Lynn): I ask the Minister whether it is not a fact that the Wellington Trades Council and the Labour Representation Committee asked the Minister to take action and carried a hostile resolution against these men forcing their way into a man's office. Should the Government retain on a tribunal supposed to be judicial and hearing appeals against military service a person showing so little judicial temperament that he crashed into a citizen's „ Is il not a fact that the Wellington labour Council disavowed this gentleman and asked the Minister to take appropriate action.

Council Disapproved

The Minister: Yes, the Labour Councii and L.R.C. so disapproved oi the alleged action of any members of their association in going into a man s office and threatening any man because of siatemen's he may have made that thev appealed to me to take action, but I could not take action on the evidence. I am not quite sure and I would like to consult my colleagues as to whether it is against departmental procedure but I would like the members for Remuera and Central Oiago to see the evidence.

. l ° lhe , acting-Prime Minisx'» x» ?. asked, '"Is that right?" ~ Ml '- Nash: Assuming it is inside tne Police Departments procedure it is all right. Mr. Webb added that he would like any legal member of the House to go through the evidence and lie •?} irc the conclusion would be ere w vas not a liulc of evi- . ° substantiate the statements t-Tk™, P, ; ess The Wellington Laboui Council asked for a public inquiry but he had turned that down. The police had decided against action, but the law allowed MiNathan to take it. * Ir ; Broadfoot asked whether it %\a.> true that pressure had boon ev?dence.° n lhG ,ypisl 1101 10 givc

Mr. Webb: N'o. no. tolf '"'in } Vell 1 havc I*™ tolcl m the last few minuter thai pressure was brought on the tvpisl n °t to give evidence. unfair in^ ster . declared that it was tlor. roadca st such an allegaahnut u department knew nothing take aAt'i-m ou,d be Prepared to brought against any person who pressure to bear to stop a statement being made cluded°th^ 1 M ?lieve il is true " excluded the Minister, "but I would like to get the evidence."'

An allocation was made In h 1 willin", ? K lhc ni,ln icipa.i c':o<nii>r.< ,n Wellington that several trade union m,r- - , V T' ,C(1 , h,S offic< - for p«rp»£ of diiUture. 5 " m w "