HYDE SUSPENDED FROM JOB

Chronicle (Levin), 27 July 1946, Page 5

HYDE SUSPENDED FROM JOB

-Press Association

NOT >SORRY FOR WHAT HE DID I

By Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, July 26. j Mr. W. .Tulius Hyde, who dramatic- j ally interrupted the proeeedings of the House of Representatives just aftev 1 prayers this moriiing, by throwing his! R.(S.A. badge on the table of the Holise I and calling out some words concerniiig j it, has lieen suspended from his pflst in the State Ilydro-Eleeti'ie Departmentj and asked for an explanation of his conduct. I I11 a memorandum to Mr. Hyde referriiig- to the incident, the General-Man-ager of the Departnient, M r. F. T. M.j Kissel, said: "You are therefore' charged with improper conduct in that,! while a public servant, you did cveate : a disturbance in the House of Representatives. You are lierebv suspended from dutv. Will you please state in writing whether you admit the trutli of this charge and you should give any explanation which you mav care to offer in coniiection with the offence." j In his reply to this letter, Mr. Hyde, after stating his actions leading up to, tlve oceurrence, says: "My actions • were premeditated following the debate ■ there regarding Mr. Lewis and the! Minister of Lands and Reliabilitation, j Hon. C. F. Skinnev, which finally con-j firmed my conviction that party poli-j .ties, in their rottenness, are vuiningt not only the country but also a sofind Labour niovelnent itself. " A later passage in the letter sajm that as soon as Mr. Speaker hadHinished prayers, Hyde rose and said, in effeet: "And God help .my coUiitVy! Here's another -reward Major Skitilier can have. (Here Mr. Hyde stat.eS he threw the badge.) "He atid I can't both wear it. Let the Government have it as an honorary degree. " Mr. ITyde's letter to Mr. Kissel 0011tinues by descriliing the events which followed and stat.es the writer informed ihe Sergeant-at-Arnis or Black Rod, he was sorry. The disturbance Y\ras necessary as a public, protest but he was not sorry for malcing it. The letter conehides: "This action was done in the publie interest and with a very clear sense of all my responsibilities as a decent citizen of New Zealand." In a letter addressed to Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hyde says the only regret he had expressed or could entertain was the stark nec.essity for sucli a protest as he had made. IIo did not regret having made it. The causes for it weve Well known to Mr. Speaker, he said. It was a rather reinarkable fact tliat it whs largely 011 behalf of a lawyer who had received "a raw deal," but it was prlncipallv, however, becafise Of the rottenness of party politics. Mr. Hyde has also Written to the president of the Wellington brailch of Ihe R'.S.A., Ma'jor-Generhl W. II. 'Cu'riningham, tendcriag his- Vesignatiort froin the association. He states as his reason that the three davs' debate jnst concluded in the House of Representatives, con vinced him the Minister of Relt&bilL' tation, Arajor Skinner, and he, could not both be members. ^ .