BAN ON MRS FREER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 282, 12 November 1936, Page 8

BAN ON MRS FREER

Minister’s Statement In Australia REASON FOR EXCLUSION By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright. CANBERRA, Nov. 11. Mr Paterson, Minister of the Interior, replying to Mr McCall in the House of Representatives, made the following statement in regard to Mrs M. M. Freer: “Information was conveyed to the Department of the Interior that an Australian 1 military officer who has a wife and child in Australia had become entangled with Mrs Freer in India and was coming to Australia on the same steamer as Mrs' Preer. The information received from India was of such a nature as to indicate . that Mrs Preer was a person of undesirable character, and, in view of these facts, I approved of action being taken to exclude her from landing in Australia.”

Mr McCall asked on what authority Customs officials could supply confidential information unknown to the Minister to a representative of another Government concerning the immigration laWj as wag apparently done in this in- " Mr Paterson replied that under a reciprocal arrangement it was customary for ’confidential information to be furpished between Customs authorities in Australia and New Zealand without reference to the Minister. It was regarded largely as a matter of form. Mr McCall asked if, in the event of Mrs Freer returning, she would.be subjected to a second dictation test. Mr Paterson: That is a hypothetical question that I cannot answer. A Labour member, Mr Mulcahy: Can .the Minister say who was the informant Who adjudged Mrs Freer undesirable? Mr Paterson: I am not prepared to add to my statement.

“HE’S GOT TO PROVE THAT” Mrs. Freer’s .Comment on Cable \ By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, November 11. “Im glad that Mr Paterson has made the statement. If only he had said something three weeks ago!” remarked Mrs Freer, after reading a copy of the Canberra cable message. She showed keen interest in the explanation given by Mr Paterson and read certain parts of the statement more than once. “So I am a person of undesirable character?” said Mrs Freer as she came tc that part of the Minister’s statement referring to the information received from India. “That’s all I want,” she added. “He’s got to prove that.” . . 1 “This is getting India’s back up,” was another remark of Mrs Freer’s as she finished reading the cable message. “Not until I see my solicitor in the morning,” replied Mrs Freer when asked to comment on the Minister’s statement. “I’m very sorry for Mr Paterson — deeply sorry,” was her parting remark.

MORE QUESTIONS ASKED (Received 12, 9.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 11. The “Sun” newspaper this evening features a radio conversation with Mrs Freer at Auckland in which she was deeply resentful of the Minister’s aspersion at Canberra on her character. Questions about Mrs Freer’s exclusion from the Commonwealth were also asked in the Senate. The Minister in Charge, Senator Sir George Pearce, asked for notice of the questions.