Attack Scrimgeour For “Stirring Up Strife”

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1939, Page 7

Attack Scrimgeour For “Stirring Up Strife”

[Special to “Northern Advocate ”] WELLINGTON, This Day.

A resolution condemning the action, in what was described ,as stirring up party strife, of the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting (Mr C. G. Scrimgeour) was carried at a meeting last night of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

The subject was introduced by Mr R. W. Bothamly, New Zealand Farmers’ Union representative on the council, who referred to statements alleged to have been made by the controller in a recent broadcast over the commercial stations.

Mr Bothamly referred to a remit carried at the recent conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, urging the employment of every effort to secure the maximum primary production, specially in view of the Empire’s war needs. Blasted Farmers’ Union, The chamber, he said, always took up the cudgels on behalf of any member unwarrantedly attacked by an outsider. The Farmers’ Union had 30,000 members and the farmers of New Zealand were ready to give their wholehearted support to the Government in its war effort. Yet there was an individual, paid by the Government from the public funds of the country and the chief propaganda artist of the Government, who utilised his time to blast other people.

“He blasted the Farmers’ Union,”

said Mr Bothamly, “and had the audacity to say it was Public Enemy No. 3.

“I as a farmer, and the rest of the farmers of this country, strongly resent a Government servant being allowed to use such words.” Mr M. F. Luckie: He denies that he used them.

“Distinction Without Difference.”

Mr Bothamly: I listened to every word last Sunday night and he denied he ever called the farmers ‘Public Enemy No. 3,’ but in previous broadcasts he did call the Farmers’ Union Public Enemy No. 3.

Mr Luckie: A distinction without a difference.

Mr Bothamly: He is sliding out of it “This sort of thing was going on with the knowledge of the Government,” said Mr Ecthamly, “and