THREATS TO LIFE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20115, 8 December 1939, Page 6

THREATS TO LIFE

REDS SUSPECTED NOTES TO MR. SEMPLE BURNING OF HOME COWARDLY VENDETTA I j PUBLIC WORKS PURGE I i'er cress Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Threats to his life and of damage to his property have been made against the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple. Disclosures of the actions and threats against him were made yesterday by Mr. Semple in an interview "with the Christchurch Press in which he set out to justify his campaign against Communists. "They talk about my violent attacks on them,” exclaimed Mr. Semple. "Attacks upon myself have been not only violent, but in some cases criminal. I have let them pass without retaliating because I (have bigger things to do. “I have had scores of anonymous letters sent to my home threatening my life and threatening to burn my home down. Emery powder was put into the crank case and feed supply of my private motor car and sugar was put in • the benzine tank. "Even now I have to telephone the Kilbirnie police when Mrs. Semple and I leave to ask them to keep an eye on my home.

“I have been threatened on many occasions by anonymous letters and my wife has received letters of a similar type telling her that she would be a widow before long.

“I have my own opinion as to where these documents and cowardly threats came from, because this vendetta against me began at a time when I was purging the ranks of public works of that type of men and now the Communist Party and their crowd have the audacity to charge me with making violent and unprovoked attacks on them.”

From supporters of the Communist Party, said" the Minister, he had had his share of slander. When he took over the Public Works Department the Communists did their “damndest” to prevent any progress being made. They refused'to work and tried to persuade others not to work.

Throughout the Dominion they carried out "vile and criminal propaganda” on jobs until he cleaned them out. If he had not done so, progress would have been impossible.

He had not formerly talked publicly about their attacks on him since he had condemned their loafing and treachery to prevent the smooth working of his department. Now that they squealed because he attacked them, it iwas well that the public should know how cowardly and hypocritical they were.