Munro Criticises Nash’s Policy On Hungary

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29324, 1 October 1960, Page 13

Munro Criticises Nash’s Policy On Hungary

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK, September 30. A charge that New Zealand’s policy on the Hungarian question was influenced by the attitude of the Prime Minister (Mr Nash) to the United Nations special “watchdog” on Hungary (Sir Leslie Munro) was made today by Sir Leslie Munro in a statement. In Wellington, a spokesman, for the Prime Minister’s office said that, as far as he was aware, Mr Nash had no knowledge of Sir Leslie Munro’s statement. No comment was, therefore, available at this stage.

Sir Leslie Munro, a former President of the General Assembly and former New Zealand representative at the United Nations, issued the following statement: x

"Mr Walter Nash and Sir Leslie Munro met fortuitously today in the corridors of the United Nations.

“After discussing with Mr Nash election prospects in New Zealand, on which Mr Nash expressed himself optimistically, Sir Leslie Munro asked Mr Nash whether he could expect the support of the New Zealand Government on the inscription of the Hungarian question on the agenda of the General Assembly, in respect of .which Sir Leslie .Munro is the special representative of the Assembly, “Sir Leslie Munro drew the attention of the Prime Minister to the fact that last year the permanent representative of New Zealand. Mr Foss Shanahan, while’ he voted for the resolution on the Hungary matter, did not speak in support of Sir Leslie Munro, though the representatives of the United Kingdom, Canada. Australia and Malaya did. “Sir Leslie Munro said to Mr Nash that he hoped that in the present session New Zealand would speak in support of the continuance of the Hungarian item.

“Mr Nash said that his approach to the problem was affected by the fact that Sir Leslie Munro was the person concerned. Sir Leslie Munro replied that he hoped that Mr Nash would rise above personalities and look at the principles involved. “The interview then terminated

as Mr Nash had to confer with Mr John Diefenbaker, the Canadian Prime Minister,” the statement said.