NEED FOR DEFENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 280, 26 November 1936, Page 6

NEED FOR DEFENCE

ATTITUDE OF MAYOR h THE U NCTION OF GOVERNMENT 1 C At yesterday’s meeting of the Wan- I; ganui Provincial Executive of the I New Zealand Farmers’ Onion a letter r was received from the Mayor of Wanganui (Mr W. J. Rogers) with refer- y ence to the calling of a public meet-| t ing to discuss the question of national ■ defence. The union had asked His I t Worship to call a meeting, but he re- k plied to the effect that, as the matter 1: is one which is primarily the respon- v sibility of the Government, it dees | n not. come within his scope. i t “I have now to advise that as a s result of discussion by the City b Council it was decided that the mat- f ter was entirely one for my own dis- | cretion,” Mr Rogers wrote. “In view h of this decision, I now have to state t that having regard to the fact that, e the matter of national defence is pri- t marily the function and responsibility 1 of the Government, the matter of t calling a public meeting in this in p stance does not come within my scope, t In conclusion, I should like to make k it clear, however, that I am always V prepared to preside over public meet- e ing? should my services in may capa- g city as Mayor be sought." o