EXPULSION OF M.P.

Chronicle (Levin), 18 March 1949, Page 3

EXPULSION OF M.P.

Press Association)

Statements Qn Both Sides Of The Case

(Per

CHRISTCHURCH, March 17. Commenting on his expulsion from the Opawa hranch of the Labour Party, Mr. A. G. Williams descrihqd it as a negation of Democracy. Replying to this, Mr. C. Baldwin, secretary of the Opawa hranch of the Labour Party, said Mr . Williams had been expeiled because he * contravened the constitutioh of .the party publicly by making a statement which could harm the party. "I do not resent my expulsion from the Labour' Party," said Mr. Wiliiaihs in an interview. t/.'The.ir aetion indicates a far greater.^ack of Democracy than that of wlrich they frequently aecuse the Nation^l Party. The oniy official inf ormatidn • tendered to me was an unstamped envelope in my letterbox on Saturday. The aetion certainly savours of star cliamber methods and is the negation of Democracy. A cardinal principle of British justice aceords the wprst criminal ,the right of adequate defenee. This right. was accofded to war criminals, but I am apparently worse than they, 'for I was not even granted an opportunity of. stating i single word in' my own defenee. My erime was to aet as ehairman at , a. Junior Chamber of Commerce iuncheoq. which was addressed by Mr. S. G-. "Holland, M.P. The position of ehairman. is one that rotates from week to1 week. The Junior Chamber of Commerce is a non-politieal organisation of young men with civie consciQusness and their acti-' vities are their own commendation. The ' luneheon in question was one to which all loeal members of Parliament wero

invited. : ;. "Mr. Holland, in his address analysed the- causes leading to the mereased and rising costs of iiving. He quoted figures used ' by ' Hons. A. H. Nordmeyer and W. Nash, the latter's aa late as last week. Mr. Holland emphasised that a stable internal economy wonld have to be based on increased production, ability to increase productive efficiency and fhe need for industrial peaee. "I think it can be safely stated that these have been the remarks - of all politicians' and jr'olitical ^ observers re-;, gardless of party afiiliation. I have certainly said fhese' things ' before^ and

I concurred with Mr. Jlolland reterence to. them ;at the lqnch'eon. ' . , ^ • • £ ' I have never hesitatedi to: ciiti^ise, if in my opinion : criticism was necessary, and I have always endeavoured to ensure that my persbnal integrity was a matter which , ' transcended party obedience. My aeti&n, whieh has been interpreie9w^- affttebour, is one on whic^ X am uurepentant3 tliG statGiiiGiLii Of wliich. I do not retract. My conficienee is clear. . I was reqentlv nominated for twd city; electorates,_,hut X deeiined these > for ipersonal reasQns." : Mr, Ba:l4#h--,S' statem|hh;saidf #phe Dpa^a iM iJfi'W 34*1 WliamsT^u3;;|ii|accol'dance' with 4^4 stitutibn ;of ] the )?^rty ihis expulsion must b eS x 'the North Canterbury Lhb^ujf v i Ifepresentation Committee and also by the national executive of the party. Mr. Williams, and also his new friend (Mr. S. U. Holland), chose to make propaganda by stating that the reason for Mr. Williams' expulsion was the fact that he acted as ehairman at an address by Mr. Holland. Mr. Williams has a perfect right as any other Labour Party member has to aetias ehairman at any nonpolitical meeting. Also he has the democratie right, which the Labour Party has always fought for, to stdte his views on any subject. It was well known to his associ'ates why he ieft the Trades Ilall. ' ' The f air thing for Mt-. Williams to have done was to resign from the Opawa branch if he disagreed with the policy of the party. Instead of doing this Mr. Williams chose to make a statement at a time and place in which it could get publicity and do possibie harm to the nartv. The reason for his

expulsion was that he contravenejl the constitution of the party by publicly making a statement that could* harm the party. Mr. Williams mu§t"have knoWn the ! consequences of his aetion. He lcnows fhe constitution of th© party better than most members as he acted as secretary of the North Canterbury Labour Bepresentation- Committee for some years. Mi\ Williams stated that he would not be opposing Mr. Holland at the coming Genbral Election because .'he (Mr. Williams) had told t'he people in Gloucester Street Some of the things Mr. Holland hact sqid at the luneheon. Mr. Williams did "not say any thing to those people in Gloueester Street while he was in Gloueester Street. In- his statement he said he/had nof aecepted nomination for personal reasons. Finally, Mr. Williams knows that he can if ^ he so desires ask to be heard in his defenee at the next meeting of the JNorth Canterbury Labour Representatioz Committee," Mr. Baldwin said.