POLITICAL DIFFERENTIATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 6 December 1940, Page 6

POLITICAL DIFFERENTIATION

HAS NO PART IN THE WAR EFFORT A WANGANUI COMPLAINT [United Press Association] WANGANUI, This Day. The allegation that the “Government was requiring public servants to deliberately and intentionally differentiate against members of the National Party in the conduct of the Dominion’s business,” was made in the “Wanganui Chronicle.” The assertion was based on a statement that after Mr E. B. Tustin, a Wanganui lawyer, had arnounced his willingness to accept the chairmanship of the Dir/ict Aliens Tribunal, he was asked by a Government official who was conversing with another Government official over the telephone to Wellington if he was a member of the National Party. Upon replying in the affirmative he was reportedly told that in that case the n...tter would have to be referred to Mr Dallard. Mr Tustin subsequently withdrew his acceptance of the position, saying: “It is obvious that one of my political views is not aceptable.” Mr J. H. Salmon, S.M. was ultimately appointed chairman of the tribunal. When the report was referred to the Prime Minister he expressed surprise and undertook to have the complaint investigated. He said that political differentiation was no part of the war effort. He was surprised to hear the suggestion that it was going on; and he pointed out that several National Part: members had been appointed to sucl. tribunals, including Mr C. H. Weston, for many years National president. '