Report of farmers’ meeting

Press, 23 April 1986, Page 3

Report of farmers’ meeting

Our attention has been drawn to an alleged defect in our report of the meeting of farmers held at the Christchurch Town Hall on March 13. The report mentioned the exchange between one of the speakers, Mr J. D. Mcllraith, chairman of the New Zealand Wool Board, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Finance, Mr de Cleene. Mr Mcllraith asked Mr de Cleene whether the Government knew in advance of the pay determinations of the Higher Salaries Commission in 1985. Mr de Cleene denied that he knew of these and said that he accepted the Prime Minister’s assurances that the Prime Minister did not know.

In saying that Mr Mcllraith had “fumbled” his attempt to get Mr de Cleene’s acknowledgement of advance knowledge “The Press” was not implying that this characterised Mr Mcllraith’s speech to the meeting.

It was clear that Mr Mcllraith’s speech was well received by most of the audience and was greeted with enthusiasm. Our reference to one incident in the course of a report on several speakers was not intended to convey the whole nature or content of Mr Mcllraith’s address. We regret it if any readers gained a wrong impression.