THE FREER CASE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 308, 27 November 1936, Page 2

THE FREER CASE

REMARKABLE ALLEGATION. MINISTER’S CORRESPONDENCE. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received November 26, 1.40 p.m. SYDNEY, Nov. 26. The Daily Telegraph publishes derails of correspondence which it alleges has passed between Hon. T. Paterson (Minister of the Interior) and a man residing in Sydney in the former’s “efforts to obtain further evidence to support the banishment of Mrs Freer.” The Telegraph says: “One of tne highlights is that the informant does not now- pretend that the ‘information’ referred to the Mrs Freer who was banned. ■ “Another significant point is that after the man sent the ‘information’ to Mr Paterson he wrote suggesting that, as a reward, he should be given a job. In reply Mr Paterson said: ‘You can rest assured that immediately I hear of something I think would suit you I will use my best endeavours on your behalf.’ . The Telegraph alleges that the criminal record of the informant includes convictions for false pretences anu perjury, and adds: “All that remains to be 6aid now is that Mr Lyons *tas no alternative but to call for the immediate resignation of Mr Paterson. Unless this is done the public will certainly call for the resignation of the Lyons Government.” The Sydney Morning Herald, in a leader, reviews the Freer case at length and says that obviously the power of exclusion, which is a valuable and important one for national policy, should not be used for petty, personal, or domestic reasons. “Cabinet has three courses open to it: It should either give fully the reasons for Mrs Freer’s ban, and thus justify its stand; reter the case to an inquiry; or admit frankly that it has made "a mistake, and rectify it in an honourable way by allowing Mrs Freer to land.”