NOT ACCEPTED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 290, 8 December 1939, Page 5

NOT ACCEPTED

AN OFFER TO WAGER FARMERS’ CONFERENCE REMITS ARGUMENT WITH MR. BARCLAY A wager of £lOO that Mr. .J. G. Barclay, M.P. for Marsden,, could not prove certain statements he made at a meeting on Saturday night was made by Mr. W. A. Sheat, of Pihama, president of the South Taranaki provincial executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, states the Hawera Star. Mr. Sheat offered to write out a cheque at the meeting, but Mr. Barclay did not accept the challenge. T he statements made by Mr. Barclay were that at the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union certain remits suggesting that farmers should throw their milk down the drain and that they should shut tneir gates for a fortnight, were discussed. Mr. Barclay declared that the remits were discussed behind closed doors, out a delegate told his branch about them afterwards and news of them had “leaked out.” ”1 was actually suggested,” said Mr. Barclay, “that iaimers should not put their bulls out with the cows and that the milk be tipped down the drain. These remits were discussed for two days and finally thrown out by 36 votes to 27.” Mr. Sheat: It is a lie to say that I those remits were discussed. 1 was at I hat meeting and I know they were not discussed. 1 will offer to forfeit £lOO if it can be proved that they were. You are misrepresenting the union all the time. J'he meeting became noisy for a lime, cries of “shut up” and i.t down” being called out for a lew minutes. An endeavour was made by Mr. Sheat to repeat his challenge, but. although he shouted out the terms from the back of the hall, it was difficult to hear them above the noise and the chairman, Mr. H. S. Sinclair, felt it necessary to call the meeting to order. Mr. Sheat, he said, could have the platform after Mj . Barclay if he wanted it. i'ne subject was revived al question time and Mr. Sheat issued another challenge. He look out his cheque book and offered to write the cheque there and then. Mr. Barclay's reply was that he would have nothing to du with Mr. Sheat’s challenge. Mr. Sheat: if I say that the remits were not discussed would you call me a liar then. Mr. Barclay: No, I would not call you a liar nor would I call the other delegate a liar either. Your challenge is not worth a fish. Mr. Sheat: Your statements are not worth a tin of fish, a tin of stinking fish. There were cries of “put him out” and “shut up.”