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MRS FREER’S EXCLUSION

FEDERAL MINISTER EXPLAINS “AN UNDESIRABLE” CANBERRA, November 11. The Minister of the Interior, Mr T. Paterson, replying to Mr McCall (U.A.P.), in the House of Representatives, made the following statement in regard to the exclusion of Mrs M. M. Freer:— “Information was conveyed to the Department of the Interior that an Australian military officer who has a wife and child in Australia had become entangled with a Mrs Freer in India and was coming to Australia in the same steamer as Mrs Freer. The information received from India was of such a nature as to indicate that Mrs Freer was a person of undesirable character, and in view of these facts I approved of action being taken to prevent her from landing in Australia.” Mr McCall asked on what authority Customs officials could supply confidential information unknown to the Minister to representatives of another Government concerning the immigration law, as was apparently done in this instance. Mr Paterson replied that under a reciprocal arrangement it was customary for confidential information to be furnished between the Customs authorities in Australia and New Zealand without reference to the Minister. It was regarded largely as a matter of form. Mr McCall: Tn the event of Mrs Freer returning, will she be subjected to a second dictation test? Mr Paterson: That is a hypothetical question that I cannot answer. A Labour member, Mr Mulchay: Can the Minister say who was the informant who adjudged Mrs Freer undesirable? Mr Paterson: I am not prepared to add to my statement. 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. The Sun newspaper this evening features a radio-telephone conversation with Mrs Freer, at Auckland, in which she is deeply resentful of the Minister’s aspersion at Canberra on her character. FULL EXPLANATION DEMAND BY MR, GARDEN

CANBERRA, November 12. A full explanation of the reasons which actuated Mr Paterson in ordering the exclusion from the Commonwealth, of Mrs Freer is to be demanded in the House of Representatives. Today Mr J. S. Garden notified the Speaker of his intention to move the adjournment of the House this afternoon to discuss “a matter of urgent. ; public importance—the exclusion of Mrs Freer from Australia. I | “CHARGE MUST BE PROVED.” MRS FREER’S REPLY AUCKLAND, November 11. “I’m glad Mr Paterson has made a 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 to the part of the Minister’s statement referring to information received from India. “That’s all I want,” she added. “He’s got to prove that.” “This is getting India’s bac«k up,” was another remark by Mrs Freer as she finished reading the cable mesage. “Not until I see my solicitor in the morning,” she replied when asked to comment on the Minister’s statement. '“l’m very sorry for Mr Paterson — ‘deeply sorry,” was her parting remark. AUCKLAND, December 12. “I am terribly distressed. The whole i thing is most, humiliating,” said Mrs Freer this afternoon, commenting on the statement published from Canberra. “There is no truth in the statement made by Mr Paterson, and I have placed the whole affair in the hands of mjy solicitor.” she said. “I deny everything. It is absolutely untrue. I [ can’t conceive that anyone in India / had anything to say. I am not ashamed of my friends or acquaintances in Eng- [ land, India, or anywhere else, but I qm concerned about my honour. There ~ is no question in my mind that there , will have to be some drastic alteration in the immigration law in Australia.”

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/KAIST19361116.2.17

Bibliographic details

Kaikoura Star, Volume LVI, Issue 90, 16 November 1936, Page 3

Word Count
650

MRS FREER’S EXCLUSION Kaikoura Star, Volume LVI, Issue 90, 16 November 1936, Page 3

MRS FREER’S EXCLUSION Kaikoura Star, Volume LVI, Issue 90, 16 November 1936, Page 3