NOT HIS MEETING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 63, 11 September 1943, Page 9

NOT HIS MEETING

MINISTER'S REPUDIATION

P.A. WHANGAREI, September 19. A telegram yesterday stated that the Morrinsville branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union again demanded payment by the Minister of Agriculture of £30, being the amount involved in connection with a meeting held at Morrinsville. The branch threatened to publish the correspondence if the Minister did not comply with the request.

The Minister (Mr. Barclay) today said he had held a series of meetings with Farmers' Union branches in the North and South Islands, and had offered. to address a meeting of the Morrinsville branch as he had done elsewhere, and as he had done at Morrinsville twelve months previously. "They made the arrangements and they occupied more time speaking at the meeting than I did," said Mr. Barclay. "It was not my meeting. I did not invite a soul or make any arrangements. They can publish the correspondence."

It has already been reported that the Morrinsville branch has decided to pay all accounts incurred in connection with the meeting mentioned. The chairman said payment of the accounts had repeatedly been asked for, and as the branch had actually incurred the debt, although it was on behalf of the Minister, it should not keep the creditors waiting any longer. The secretary advised that a letter had been received from the Auckland executive stating that it would not be held responsible for payment. The secretary said that owing -to the fact that all South Auckland dairy companies had benefited from the meeting by some hundreds of pounds it did not seem reasonable that the Morrinsville branch should bear the whole expense. Legal proceedings against the Minister were suggested, but it was considered questionable whether such action was practicable, tt was decided to place the matter in the hands of the executive's solicitor and Mr. Robinson to bring it before the Minister, with the suggestion that if he did not meet the payment the correspondence would be published.