FORGERY CLAIM

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30143, 29 May 1963, Page 15

FORGERY CLAIM

Storm Over Letter

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) OTTAWA, May 27

A letter purporting to be a pledge of American support to the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Lester Pearson, from the United States Ambassador, Mr W, W Butterworth, before the April 8 election was read into the Commons record today by Mr Gordon Churchill, formerly Defence Minister in the Conservative Government of Mr John Diefenbaker. As read by Mr Churchill, the letter said at one point that it would be “quite evident" to the Canadian electors in the election to be held soon that the Conservative Government was “narrowminded and unfit to govern.” The letter also was, alleged to have said that the Ambassador would like to consult with Mr Pearson at the first opportunity, and added: “You can always count on our support.” , Mr Pearson said that when hts attention was drawn during the election campaign to reports of such a document he “let it be known” that he had received no such letter and Mr Butterworth “let it be known" that he had sent no such letter. Mr Pearson said Mr Churchill must have known this and that therefore the letter was a forgery. Mr Butterworth issued a statement later, saying: “The alleged letter from to the Prime Minister, the purported text of which I understand was read into the record of the House of Commons this afternoon, is a complete forgery. The forgery was brought to my attention during the recent election campaign. “I notified the then Government that such a forgery was being circulated, and denied to inquirers, who asked me about it at the time, that I had ever written any such letter I reiterate the denial.”