ANOTHER CHALLENGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 135, 5 December 1939, Page 11

ANOTHER CHALLENGE

FARMER AND M.P.

CONFERENCE REMITS

ALLEGATIONS DENIED

i j Denying .statements that certain J remits suggesting among other things that farmers should throw their milk down the drains and that they should shut their gates for a fortnight were discussed by a Dominion conference . of the Farmers' Union at Wellington recently, Mr. W. A. Sheat, Pihama, president of the South Taranaki projvincial executive of the union, chal- ; lenged Mr. J. G. Barclay, M.P. for , Marsden, to prove them, at a meeting ; at Stratford on Saturday night. Mr. Sheat wagered £100 that : Mr. ; Barclay could not support his statements . and offered to write out a cheque at the meeting. Mr. Barclay ; did not accept the challenge, reports the Taranaki "Daily News." "BEHIND CLOSED DOORS." Not largely attended, the meeting jwas an orderly one until Mr. Barclay j began to deal with subjects which he I declared were discussed at Wellingj ton by the Farmers' Union. . They were discussed behind closed doors, but a delegate had told his branch about them afterwards, and news of them had "leaked out," he said. It was actually suggested that farmers should not put their bulls with the cows and that the milk should be tipped down the drain, said Mr. Barclay. These remits1 had been discussed for two days and finally thrown out by 36 votes to 27. Mr. Sheat: It is a lie to say that those remits were discussed. I was at that meeting and I know, they were not discussed. I will offer to forfeit £100 if it can be proved that they were. Mr. Sheat said Mr. Barclay was misrepresenting the union all the time. There were cries of "sit down" and "shut up," and the meeting became noisy for a few minutes. Mr. Sheat endeavoured to repeat his challenge, but, although he shouted out the terms from the back of the hall, it was difficult to hear them above the noise and the chairman, Mr. H. S. Sinclair,, felt it necessary to call the meeting to order. Mr. Sheat, he said, could have the platform after Mr. Barclay if he wanted it. RENEWAL. OF CHALLENGE. Later, at question time, the subject •was revived, and another challenge was issued by Mr. Sheat. He offered to write put a cheque Immediately, and took out his cheque book. Mr. Barclay replied that he was not going to have anything' to do with Mr. Sheafs challenge. Mr. Sheat: If I-say that the remits were not discussed, would you call me a liar then? Mr. Barclay: No, I would not call you a liar, nor would I call the other delegate a liar either. Your challenge is not worth a tin of fish. Mr. Sheat: Your statements are not worth a tin of fish—a tin of stinking fish. ' There were cries of "put him out" and "shut up."