MARKET SYSTEM FOR BANANAS

Southland Times, Issue 23649, 26 October 1938, Page 6

MARKET SYSTEM FOR BANANAS

Statement Wrongly Credited MR MASSON REPUDIATES INTERVIEW (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, October 25. A statement published in The Press this morning and telegraphed as a Press Association message purporting to be the expressed opinions of Mr W. J. Masson on the marketing of bananas was not in fact made by Mr Masson. The interview was repudiated today by Mr Masson, who sent the following telegram to Mr F. R. Picot, Director of Internal Marketing: “I entirely repudiate the interview attributed to me in The Press of October 25. I am asking the newspapers to publish a disclaimer. I have never communicated with The Press directly or indirectly. I have always appreciated your efforts and the Government scheme.” The statement referred to was supplied to The Press by Mr C. H. Capes, secretary of the Canterbury Fruit Buyers’ Association, of the executive of which body Mr Masson is a member. Mr Capes informed the representative of The Press to whom he supplied the statement that his executive had given general authority to him to supply statements to The Press and that it was customary for him to supply statements in this way, using the name of a member of the executive. The reporter was under the. impression that Mr Masson was aware of the interview and that he had approved it. The opinions were, as Mr Masson has made clear, not his personal views, and for this reason he has taken exception to the use of his name.

COMPLAINT APPROVED BY MEMBERS

STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER SPECIAL MEETING

CHRISTCHURCH, October 25. Approval of the complaint against the Government scheme for the marketing of bgnanas contained in a statement supplied to The Press by the secretary, Mr C. H. Capes, was expressed at a special meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Fruit Buyers’ Association this evening. The statement published this morning was issued under the name of Mr W. J. Masson, a member of the executive, who subsequently repudiated it- . Of the nine members of the executive exclusive of Mr Masson, seven were present at the meeting this evening, and they were unanimous in their decision to sign the statement set out below. The two absent members concurred in this decision by telephone. The statement, which set out the executive’s general approval of' the complaint made in the statement supplied by Mr Capes to The Press and which details the procedure of the association in the publication of such statements reads as follows:— The attention of the executive of the Canterbury Fruit Buyers’ Association has been drawn to the fact that Mr W. J. Masson, a member of the executive, has repudiated a statement which appeared in The Press today over his name. On behalf of the Canterbury Fruit Buyers’ Association, we, the undersigned members of the association, agree substantially with the statement which was prepared by the secretary of the association on the authority of the executive. Such statements are from time to time prepared by the secretary and issued under the names of responsible members of the association, the executive having decided on this procedure for the communication of official statements to the newspapers. , Before presenting the statement in The Press, the secretary of the association endeavoured to communicate with Mr Masson, but failed to get in touch with him. F. O. BENTLEY (president) C H. CAPES (secretary) A. A. HOLLAND E. GUTHREY J. ADAMS J. DANIEL j. A. WILKINSON Members of the . executive.