Nathan Incident

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 115, 16 May 1941, Page 2

Nathan Incident

CANDIDATE’S ANONYMOUS GENEROSITY REVEALED WELLINGTON, Alay 15. What has now Decome known as the Nathan incident was again referred to i by the mayor of Wellington, Mr T. C. ! A. Hislop, speaking at Brooklyn last i night. He commented on the replies of | the Labour Representation Committee and the Trades Council to Mr Nathan’s statement. “I should like to refer to one statement, among others, believed to have been made by those who visited Mr Nathan on this occasion,” Mr Hislop said. “Mr Nathan was accused of being a money grubber. I am now about to break a bond of confidence between Mr Nathan and myself. I have not asked Mr Nathan for his permission, and I risk his annoyance at doing so. j ‘‘ln the last 10 years Mr Nathan has on many occasions handed to me on the strict instruction that it was to be anonymous, sums of money, in the first case for the assistance of people during the period of the depression, after that for various charitable and public objects, and more lately for war purposes. These have been donations not of £2, £lO or £2O. They have been never less actually than £SO, with the result that in this period he has handed me very large sums of money. Nobody other than myself and the city treasurer knows from whom they came. I have made this breach of confidence out of a sense of justice to a public-spirited and generous man who has been accused of being a mere money-gfubber. “With regard to the matter as a whole,” Mr Hislop said, “I say that from my personal knowledge of Air Nathan I trust every word of his report of what took place on the occasion as being completely accurate.

“I wan*; it to be known that I have the highest respect for many trade union secretaries I know and a real sympathy for the objects and aspirations of true unionism. But no greater disservice could be done to the cause of unionism, the cause of the development of the men, women and children of this country, than the action taken by a group in their attempt to intimiap*e Mr Nathan. “The reply published to-night from the Labour Representation Committee In effect denies knowledge of the matter. Immediately following that denial is a statement from the Trades Council. It is obvious to anybody who reads that statement that it was made after consultation with someone who was present on the occasion of the visit to Mr Natnan. It would, therefore, seem obvious that the Labour Representation C. ;-"nii.lce could easily obtain the in-fr.-!-n cf which it pleads ignorance fr - z'. \i2 of its confreres on the Tr-'*"-, Council. They have in their c. u hands the means of dealing with f '■ situation, and it is up to them to do

Union Secretaries’ View 0.C.) WELLINGTON, May 15 The viewpoint of the Union Sectaries’ Association is expressed in the allowing statement, which was issued o the Press following a meeting yeserday afternoon.—

“As some of the candidates in the field have seen fit to attack the Labour tickets because there are a number of union secretaries on the lists, this association desires to point out to the citizens of Wellington that the list of Labour candidates was chosen by ballot of the representatives of unions and branches on the Labour Representation Committee, repitrenting a large proportion of the Wellington citizens, there being no pressure on anybody to support any one candidate as against another.

“In this connection it may be pointed out that owing to the committees of local bodies meeting mainly during the daytime, it makes it difficult for a wages worker to accept nomination and thus lose his wages while attending such meetings, hence union secretaries -4ie urged to accept nomination for selection ballots, as usually they are able to attend thesfe daytime meetings.

“It is pertinent also to mention that the secretaries of unions have been elected to their positions because the members realise that they are capable men to whom they can entrust their affairs.

“In cases in the past where such men have been elected to public positions they have proved capable administrators and we do not fear comparison of their work in the City Council, the Hospital Board or the Harbour Board for effectiveness. It may be mentioned also that at the present time there are several union secretaries associated with the British Cabinet, and that these man are doing a job which is satisfactory to the large bulk of the people throughout the British Commonwealth.

“We protest against the unfair attack being made on our members and definitely state that we stand unreservedly for freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the guarding of the liberties of the people.”