THE COMPANY INQUIRY

Evening Star, Issue 21820, 8 September 1934, Page 10

THE COMPANY INQUIRY

CHAIRMAN OF TRUSTS CHALLENGE FINANCE MINISTER SIDE-STEPPING QUESTION [Special to the ‘ Stab.’] AUCKLAND, September 7. The chairman of directors of the Investment Executive Trust of New Zealand Ltd. (Mr W. A. Pilkington) said to-day that Mr Coates in his reply to Mr J. N. Massey’s question in Parliament had completely side-tracked the major allegations contained in the message to the debenture holders. Mr M’Arthur had shown by logic and irrefutable facts that the present attack was the outcome of a conspiracy. These facts, quite apart from further disclosures which would bo made, would convince the people of New Zealand. They had yet to be told that the Full Court determined the scope of the Barton Commission in the words: “There is no legal obligation that it can impose on anyone, nor can its report affect any private rights; no civil consequences to individuals are involved.” In the light of that judicial determination, the suggestion for an inquiry into another group and their association with politicians was fair and reasonable. In the meanwhile, the Minister of Finance, as ho had predicted, had side-stepped the questions which had such a vital bearing upon the interests of the debenture holders.