STATEMENTS DISPROVED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19883, 9 March 1939, Page 7

STATEMENTS DISPROVED

MR. COATES’ CHARGES

REPLY BY MINISTER

(I’er Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day

The Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, says that the official documents and statements signed and made by Mr. Coates himself when Minister disprove completely the truth of what he now alleges to be. “Simply stated,” said Mr. Nash, "the fact is that the Ottawa agreement was signed by Mr. Coates in 1932. Therefore, the year after was 1933 and a Parliamentary paper of that calendar year contains Mr. Coates’ undertaking for the restriction of mutton and lamb shipments to the quantity for the 12 months ended June 30, 1932, a figure ol 3,908,000 cwt.” Any reasonable person regardless ol politics, who had examined the press statements and attacks on the Government and Mr. Nash himself made by Mr. Coates in the past few days would agree that Mr. Coates had blundered and would agree that, when criticis'n was based on the false assertion of a former Minister’s own achievements, they were entitled to press him for proof or a frank withdrawal, said Mr. Nash.