MR. D. JONES AND THE 1928 COMMITTEE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 267, 7 August 1929, Page 13

MR. D. JONES AND THE 1928 COMMITTEE

Sir, —I note a letter on the above subject in your columns, signed “Chairman, Nineteen Twenty-eight Committee.” This looks peculiar, and suggests a secret society; one wonders if it has any connection with the Klu Klux Klan or some other secret society.

Mr. Stronach Paterson was chairman of this committee quite recently, and I presume he is still. If so, I am surely entitled to the courtesy of his signature. I gave a little ridicule to the committee in March last in an endeavour to bring it down to earth, and I succeeded for, in the reply the committee stated that they were out to secure a definite removal from the Meat and Dairy Boards of their absolute control powers. This banter the chairman refers to as “misrepresentation” on my part “or gross and Culpable ignorance.” If some people were born with a better sense of humour they would be saved from a lot of worry in this world.

The chairman says I have the temerity to once again return to the attack by my reference to the 1928 Committee recently in the House. Permit me to say, Sir, that the chairman’s servant saw me with reference to this, and I informed him that I had the information complained of given to me and I thought the frank and open way was to ask the question across the floor of the House, giving the person -referred to the opportunity of admitting or denying it. This I did, but the member remained silent. I could do no more, and considering the importance of the question, I certainly could do no less. The messenger would Convey these facts to his chairman. It suited the chairman better, however, to attack me by taking the newspaper reports and even twisting them. He indignantly denies that the person referred to was a member of the Central Committee, and says my statement is untrue. Will the chairman point out to me where, even in a newspaper report, I mention such a thing as the Central Committee, and indeed. later, this immaculate gentleman admits that he does not know whether the person referred to is a member of the committee or not, but “as far as the executive knows he is not.”

Apparently the method I adopted to ask the question direct was the only method I had of securing an answer, but one would have at least expected the chairman (when he comes into the public print to make such an emphatic denial) to know whether he had any grounds for basing his statement on. I accept, Of course, without the slightest reservation, his statement that the .1928 Committee have nothing to do with the traders’ agitation against the wheat duties, and I think he should thank me for having given him the opportunity of clearing up this allegation. The last statement by the chairman, however, is One that cannot be left where it is. for he .states that “when the leaders of the political party which Mr. Jones represents have approved and endorsed the policy, aims and objects of the 1928 Committee, he should not go out of his way for the second time to attack and misrepresent the organisation.” Now this is not only a charge against me, but it is a careful and deliberate statement about my leader, and I challenge the chairman to prove the statement that he has endorsed the policy, aims and objects of the committee, including the wiping out of the compulsory clauses of the Meat and Dairy Acts. I feel sure that the gentleman who sets such very high standards for other people will not fail to immediately clear up this very important point, and do so over his own signature.—l am. etc., DAVID JONES. Wellington, August 5.