No ban on telex, says Mr Lange

Press, 7 September 1984, Page 4

No ban on telex, says Mr Lange

PA Wellington The Leader of the Opposition, Sir Robert Muldoon, has not been denied use of the Foreign Affairs Department’s telex to arrange his overseas travel, said a spokesman for the Prime Minister, David Lange, yesterday. “Any member of Parliament on overseas travel is entitled to make arrangements using the Foreign Affairs telex,” he said. Sir Robert told reporters earlier yesterday that he had been refused this help in organising his visit to an international finance seminar in Washington later this month.

Mr Lange was being petty and vindictive, Sir Robert

said. However, Mr Lange later said that Sir Robert would not be allowed to use the Prime Ministerial telex machine. “There has never been a E'ise of using the Prime ter’s telex by the Leader of the Opposition. It is certainly not going to start now,” said Mr Lange. Sir Robert’s trip is not the official one he is entitled to each year as Opposition Leader. Sir Robert said it was being paid for partly by the organisers of the seminar and partly by himself.

Sir Robert will leave in about a fortnight and intends to be away for about a week.