VICIOUS ATTACK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20093, 13 November 1939, Page 8

VICIOUS ATTACK

COMMUNISTS IN N.Z. MINISTERS’ CAMPAIGN LABOUR PARTY PURGE FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. An active campaign against Communists or others with unsympathetic views wiihin the New Zealand Labour Party lias been launched by tiie Government. The first direct attack was made ay two Ministers of the Crown, who attended a specially convened meeting of the Canterbury branch of the Federation of Labour on Friday evening. The Ministers were the Minster of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, and the Minister of Labour, he lion. P. C. Webb. The spread of views held to be either Communist or destructive to the Labour cause within trades unions in Christchurch is reported to have been so serious in recent

months that Ministers, with official support, have decided to make special iddresses to union representatives. That section which was known within the federation to be out of sympathy with the Government's policy s reported to have been fully aware beforehand of the purpose of the Minister's addresses, and to have organised a counter. However, they kept silent at the meeting after a few interjections had been solidly suppressed.

Mr. Semple’s Invcctiv

A vicious attack on Communists and those charged with undermining the Labour Party and the Government was made by Mr. Semple. Men who attended the meeting described the Minister as having been at the height of invectiveness in his condemnation of actions subversive to the Labour Party. “No one was game to challenge Mr. Semple, for he would have belted their ears off,” was a summary of the proceedings given by an observer. A more placatory attitude was adopted by Mr. Webb, it is understood. He made an appeal for cooperation from all workers.

The result of the /meeting was that delegates unanimously passed a motion expressing confidence In the Government and the Labour Party, and pledging their full support.