FARMERS PROTEST

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 130, 29 November 1939, Page 8

FARMERS PROTEST

SUNDAY BROADCASTS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DISCUSSION

The council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last evening unanimously passed the following motion, moved by Mr. R. W. Bothamley >nd seconded by Mr.'A, R. Hislop; f'That this'^chamber, deplores the factions .of the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting in stirring up party strife every Sunday, evening, when he is a paid' servant of the people and not a paid servant of the Labo"ur .Party.", l

Mr. Bothamley recalled that the recent conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce had passed a remit urging the employment of every, effort to secure maximum primary production, especially in view of the Empire's war needs. •• "I take it for" granted that this chamber will always take up the cudgels on behalf of a member unwarrantedly attacked by an outsider," he" continued. "I have the honour to represent, the Farmers' Union here. There are 30,000 farmers belonging to the--union. Those farmers are ready to give their whole-hearted support to the Government in its war efforts, and yet there is an individual, the' chief propaganda artist of the Government, a man who is paid from the public funds, who is utilising his time in blasting other people. He has blasted the Farmers' Union and has had the audacity to call it 'Public Enemy' No. 3.' I and the rest of the farmers of this country strongly resent a Government servant being allowed to use such words." Mr. M. fF. Luckie: He denies that he used them. Mr. Bothamley: He denies that he ever called the farmers "Public Enemy No. 3," but I listened to every word and he did call the Farmers' Union "Public Enemy No. 3 "

Mr. Luckie: A distinction without a difference.

Mr. Bothamley: He is sliding out of it. This is going on with the knowledge of the Government. ■ I say that any Government that commits a breach of trust'1 by using public money to pay a servant to put over its own propaganda is unworthy of the trust of. the people. I. get pretty hot under the collar when I think of this individual, who performs these duties every Sunday evening and i,s allowed to continue to do so by the'Government. I want this chamber to send a letter to the Prime Minister asking him; to have this man prevented from stirring up strife in this country,, when Mr. Savage is every day asking for the co-opera-tion of all sections of the 'community. How can he! expect that, co-operation when we have tactics of this description going on in our midst?' On Sunday night Mr. Savage had stated that he must carry out his policy, . otherwise he might annoy some of his supporters. "It looks to me as if he is more concerned about carrying out that policy or the possibility of annoying some of; his supporters than he is about the co-operation1 that he says he wants," Mr. Bothamley added. "If he wants co-operation and does not stop these tactics, it is quite certain that he will not get co-operation." The president (Captain S. Hplm) "said that the chamber could not take part in party politics, but it could write to the Government deploring the actions of a particular civil servant. The motion was then moved by Mr. Bothamley and carried.