LIBEL CHARGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19758, 12 October 1938, Page 7

LIBEL CHARGE

FOUNDERS OF DOMINION MR. J. A. LEE'S BOOK PROTEST BY PIONEERS DEPUTATION TO MAYOR (Pur Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Strong resentment and indignation was expressed by speakers who were members of a deputation of about 40 which was organised by the Early Settlers' Association and waited on the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, at midday. It was emphasised that the meeting had no political colour, but that those present had been actuated by what xnev , considered to be false and grossly libellous statements in Mr. J. A. Lee's book "Socialism in New Zealand." They submitted that no country had better early stock than New Zealand and that their descendants to-day had every justification for honouring their memory and thinking of them in the highest esteem. The Mayor, Mr. Hislop said he knew of no more appropriate place for the deputation to come than to the Town Hall to express their feeling of righteous indignation. He contended there could be only one answer to the question of what was Mr. Lee's purpose in making such references to early settlers, and that was that he desired to besmirch the good name of the early founders of this country.' It was certainly consistent with the doctrine of destroying tradition and levelling down to the lowest. In that way, to his mind, it was consistent with the general attitude of the gentleman who wrote the book. He thanked those present as representatives of the founders of the country for coming forward and placing on public record their denial of the libel in the book on early settlers and their determination to see that the true story should go forth into print to crush and obliterate the libel that had gone ahead of it. Other speakers were Mr. W. Toomath, secretary of the Early Settlers' Association, Mr. Cheviot Bell, Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell, Mr. W. Appleton, Mr. R. A. Wright, and Mr. W. H. Field.