COMPLAINT BY PRIME MINISTER

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIV, Issue 22670, 25 August 1943, Page 4

COMPLAINT BY PRIME MINISTER

Objection To Newspaper Advertisement WASHINGTON LEGATION EXPENSES 'N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON. Aug. 24. Objection to an advertisment published in a Wellington newspaper was taken bv the Prime Minister 'the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) when the House met to-day- He said that the advertisement which dealt with the expenses of the Washington Legation, purported to be inserted on behalf of Mr Will Appleton, official National candidate for Wellington Central, and it contained statements, which, in his opinion, amounted to misrepresentation. He desired to correct them in the interests of the finances of the country. After contradicting various items quoted in the advertisement, Mr Fraser said that he 'Ws of the opinion that no responsible person or Party would circulate such statements, which could not fail to do harm to what was the most important mission this country had ever taken. "That if it had cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, insteed of thousands, we would have been amply repaid.” said Mr Fraser. He asked if the Leader of the Opposition would take steps to correct the statement or withdraw it. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr S G Holland I said that this was the first, occasion on which he had heard of the advertisement. So far as he know it, was not an official statement, but lie could not say that definitely. Most statements o£ that type passed through his hands, but this one had not done so. However, he would have the matter looked into. The second reading of the Finance Bill 'No. 3> was moved by the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash', who dealt with the proposals in the measure. In the course of his remarks Im said the Government had spent t 23.000.000 on State rental houses. The Bill was read a second time in Committee stages. The Committee stage was given a third reading and passed. The Emergency Regulations Amend ment Bill was also passed. The second reading was put through Committee and passed the third reading without discussion Mr Holland stating that, although in normal times this Bill afforded an opportunity for discussion on all the regulations, these were not normal times, and. therefore, the Opposition concurred in its passing. The Statutes Amendment Bill passed the second reading and the discussion on Committee stages was interrupted by the adjournment at 5.30 p.m.