NOT RECALLED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 71, 21 September 1943, Page 6

NOT RECALLED

MR. LANGSTONE'S POST

REPORT CONTRADICTED

P.A. „ • TAIHAPE, This Day. The Hon. F.'^Langstone, Labour can-* didate for Waimarino and late New Zealand High Commissioner to Canada, has sent the following telegram to Mr. R. Malcolm, Independent candidate for Wellington North: "If report appearing Friday's 'Evening Post' attributed to you concerning my being recalled from Canada is correct I will issue writ for damages for publication of such a malicious, false,' and completely untrue statement. I tendered my resignation- from the High Commissionership of Canada and was not recalled. I shall call the Prime Minister to testify that your remarks are untrue in every- particular."

The contents of the above telegram were referred to Mr. Malcolm this afternoon. At the time he had not received the telegram from Mr. Langstone. He stated, however, that the word "recalled," if he used it (which he did not recollect) was a mistake, as he was aware that Mr. Langstone resigned. He intended no personal reflection upon Mr. Langstone and wished to assure him that he made no such suggestion. His remarks were part of his discussion of the system of New Zealand representation abroad, when he explained that, in his view, such appointments should be held by business men trained in a special diplomatic course to act as commercial and trade representatives, and should not be filled from the political field.

The statement was printed by "The Post" without perception of the error in the use of the word "recall." The fact that Mr. Langstone resigned was published in "The Post" at the time and has been frequently repeated in reports of debates on the question. We regret, nevertheless, that publicity should have been given to any statement conveying a different impression.