MR LEE AND MB SAVAGE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22920, 17 January 1940, Page 6

MR LEE AND MB SAVAGE

MESSAGE TO NEWSPAPERS GIVEN WILLINGLY COMMENT ON PARTY RESOLUTION QUESTIONED (VBZSS 48S0CIJLTKW TEUCCIBAK.) WELLINGTON". January 16. T do not know who supplied: the comment which "was-" published with the resolution of the national executive of the New Zealand Labour Party regarding myself," said Mr J. A. Lee in' si statement.' "The comment was not submitted to the executive prior, to publication. , . *T did not give an assurance to comply in future with the decisions of . the national executive and conference of the party. These I have always complied with." ,f I agreed to express regret in the exact' terms of the message I have given to the press. I gave that message willingly." /

"BEGINNING TQ QUIBBLE" COMMENT BY MR SAVAGE (PBSBB IBSORUTIOH . TBMSGHJWC.) WELLINGTON, December 16. "It, seems as if Mr Lee is beginning to quibble already," said the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) to-day. "I am not in a position to say what promises Mr Lee made to, the National Executive as I was not present.. I am informed, however, that he did promise to be loyal to the conference and to the national executive's decision, and I understand he claimed at. the same time that he had always been loyal to such decisions.

"But if Mr Lee had always been loyal to the spirit and letter of confer-; ence and executive decisions," added Mr Savage, "why was it necessary for the national executive to carry a resolution which has since been published condemning his action? It is beyond me to understand a member of a party who tries to destroy the selected leader of that .party as a political force, who will go so far as to attack that leader during, illness and who after apologising for his action will •commence again to question the report of the position issued, on behalf of the national executive."