AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIAL MISSION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 8 June 1927, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIAL MISSION

PRESS NOT INVITED ALLEGED BREACH OP FAITH (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. Mr H. G. Adam, associate editor of the "Melbourne Herald," who went to New York with the Australian industrial mission, is now in Wellington en route -homeward. He states that the mission represented employers and labour interests, with newspaper representatives, through whom it was expected the public wouid be able to get accounts of the mission's doings, as the official report might not be readily, if ever, available.

"The mission," says Mr Adams, "was a badly mismanaged muddle, sent away in a hurry without a proper itinerary. It had no proper chairman. Though the mission was shown everything, no opportunity was given for a thorough investigation of particular problems on which enlightenment was desired. All the information seemed to come from the employers' representatives, and trade union members of the mission became dissatisfied, but some were able to make private inquiries. They felt that the publication of press despatches in Australia, dealing with their activities was stealing the mission's thunder."

The mission decided that the press representatives were of no standing, so Mr Adams, in face of this insult and breach of faith with the Commonwealth Government, on the part of the mission, refused _ to go further. When he left New York the members of the mission were in two political camps, and he could not see any likelihood that they would agree on the report, or tbat the mission would produce anything of value to Australia.