RECEPTION TO MR ZIABKIN

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25135, 17 March 1947, Page 6

RECEPTION TO MR ZIABKIN

‘Public “Invited” To Private Event AN UNAUTHORISED ADVERTISEMENT The impression that the .public is invited to the informal reception to the Russian Minister to New Zealand (Mr I. K. Ziabkin), to be given to-morrow by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr E. H. Andrews), has been created by an advertisement appearing in Saturday’s newspapers. Mr Andrews said last evening that the advertisement had been given to the newspapers without authority by some person whose identity he did not know. It was misleading, because attendance at the reception was limited to the invited guests. Mr A. B. Grant, secretary of the Canterbury Trades Council, said that neither the Trades Council nor the Society for Closer Relations with Russia, which had been consulted by the Mayor about the reception and the list of guests, had arranged for the advertisement. The secretary of the Christchurch branch of the Communist Party (Mr J. Locke) said his organisation knew nothing about the insertion of the advertisement.

Scope of Invitations Mr Ziabkin will be entertained by the Mayor personally in his room in the City Council Chambers at 3 p.m. to-morrow. Those invited to meet Mr Ziabkin include city councillors and a number of persons on a list supplied to Mr Andrews by the Trades Council and the Society for Closer Relations with Russia,

The advertisement in Saturday’s newspapers stated: “The Mayor of Christchurch is giving the public an opportunity to meet his Excellency I. K. Ziabkin, the Soviet Consul, at 3.45 p.m., Tuesday, at the Council Chambers. Everyone invited.” Mr Andrews said this advertisement was quite unauthorised. He was entertaining Mr Ziabkin in the Mayor’s room in the same way that he had entertained other diplomats when they made their first visit to Christchurch. He was meeting the expenses of the function himself. He had arranged the details with Mr Grant. Mr Andrews added that he had received no official advice of Mr Ziabkin’s visit from the Russian Embassy in Wellington or from the Government. He had learned of it from Mr Grant. ’ . . Mr Ziabkin, who will arrive m Christchurch from Wellington this morning, will address the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce this evening and will attend a reception arranged by the Trades Council and the Society for Closer Relations with Russia in the Mayfair to-morrow evening. Because of accommodation problems, only holders of invitations will be admitted to to-morrow evening’s function.