P.M. resigned after attack

Press, 26 November 1980, Page 7

P.M. resigned after attack

NZPA Wellington The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) has replied to criticism from the writers’ organisation, P.E.N., over the Tom Scott affair by pointing out that he had resigned from the group on October 21. P.E.N. had ticked off Mr Muldoon for trying to stop a fellow member, the “Listener” columnist- Tom Scott, from being accredited for professional work outside New Zeaand.

Mr Muldoon said he was overseas when P.E.N. advised him that he had failed to keep faith with the organisation’s charter by trying to deny Mr Scott access to information and excluding him from a team of journalist's travelling overseas.

But he said in a statement that as soon as he arrived back, he wrote to fire president of P.E.N., Lauris Edmond, in the fol-

lowing terms: Please accept my resignation from your organisation. I did not ask to join it. You invited me. Your statement of so-called principle makes it clear you support distortion, inaccuracy and libel in the interest’s of freedom of expression. I do not.” Mr Muldoon said the letter was dated October 21.

He said the November issue of the P.E.N. gazette gave front-page treatment to the P.E.N. letter, but it did not quote from or even acknowledge his reply.

“f must therefore remind P.E.N. that membership of the organisation- carries with it the responsibility to understand and promote its aims, which include a dedication to the ideal of freedom of speech, information and discussion,” Mr Muldoon said.