ALLEGED WHISPERING CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 43, 14 November 1940, Page 5

ALLEGED WHISPERING CAMPAIGN

Mr. Christie Complains Dominion Special Service.

WAIPUKURAU, November 13,

Regret that the by-election campaignwas not, iu his opinion, being fought in quite the same way as the last two elections he had contested in the AVaipawa was expressed by Mr. H. M. Christie, Labour candidate, at a public meeting in Waipukurau tonight. He alleged there was a whispering campaign against him. and said be regretted the amount of propaganda being used on a Dominion-wide scale by “people more concerned with gaining control of the Government benches than with the welfare of the country.” One heard a great deal about subversion, he said, but it was not confined to the working classes. Mr. Christie said he did not mind anything said openly, but he took exception to certain methods he considered were being adopted. He repeated his challenge to his opponent, Mr. C. G. E. Harker, to say in plain language what he meant by his reported statement concerning State housing contracts and took strong exception to another statement that the youth of New Zealand was demoralized and degenerating. “Too many people in New Zealand today are using the R.S.A. for purposes other than those for which it was formed,” he said. “Too many become soldiers when they get the word ‘returned’ before it,” said Mr. Christie in referring to a pamphlet issued by his opponent in which it was said that the Opposition needed a man like Mr. Harker to replace Brigadier Hargest, Major John Allen, Captain Arthur Grigg and 2nd Lieutenant T. L. MacDonald. Members of Parliament on active service.