REPLY BY MINISTER

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 310, 25 September 1943, Page 6

REPLY BY MINISTER

Mr. McLagan’s Appointment

To Portfolio

‘‘My attention has been drawn to the contradiction by the executive of the New Zealand Returned Services Association ot a statement alleged to have been made by me to the effect that my appointment to the portfolio of Industrial Manpower was made at the suggestion of the N.Z. U.5.A.,” said the Minister of Industrial Manpower, Mr. McLagan. yesterday. ‘ I have never made any such statement, he added. “What 1 did say was that the setting up of the War Administration .resulted from a proposal made by the N.Z.U.S.A., and the National Executive of the N.Z.R.S.A. agrees that that statement is correct. “I have not seen the report of the alleged statement. If such a report has been made, it is a fabrication. I have said that it is a great pity that tlie Government did not stand hard and tast on tlie N.Z.R.S.A. proposal, instead or compromising to meet the wishes of Mr. Holland and his Tory colleagues, and thereby admitting to the War Administration men who subsequently proved that they were unable to measure up to the requirements of the position. I have also said that Mr. Holland and bis colleagues, after I had made it clear to them that I did not intend to contest a seat in Parliament, agreed to my becoming a member of the War Administration, and refused to accept, my offer to stand out of the Administration if they would withdraw one of their claimants for a position. “It is typical of Tory election propaganda Ihiiini.v actual statements should be denied publicity by the Tory Press, and that Tory newspapers should attempt to saddle me with Um responsibility for something I have not said. Toils credit, the executive of the N.Z.R.S.A. in its reply was prudent enough to refer to the statement, ns a ‘reported’ statement. It would have been much more creditable to the Tory propagandist who has given publicity to this matter at tlie eleventh hour, if he had made some attempt to cheek up on the authenticity of the alleged report."