EXPULSION ORDER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 50, 22 November 1937, Page 8

EXPULSION ORDER

Own Correspondent.)

Labour Party Member Eyicted OPINIONS IN PRESS

(Prom Our

CHRISTCHUECH, Tbis Day. Tbirty-one years of membership of tbe New Zealand Labour Party by Mr Hiram Hunter, oue of tbe founders of tbe movemeat in Christchurch, were abruptly ended last Week, -wben be was informed verbally of bis expulsion from tbe party. Tbe expulsion order was agreed to at a speeial meeting of the Labour Represehtation Committee in tbe city, called to discuss letters written by Mr Hunter in tbe correspondence columns of tbe Press. First president of the original Federation of Labour, .and workers' rcpresentativo on - the Arbitration Court for three years, Mr Hunter bas held many positions in tbe Labour movement.Mr Hunter saidi tbat in bis opinion. tbe objection was mostly directed to tbe following passage in one of bis letters to tbe Press: —

"Most persons will agree that it is unwise to load any man too heavily witb public positions, not only for bis own sake, but for tbe good of the movement. Wbat cbauce is tbere for new aspirants to office wben balf a dozen monopolise all tbe positions secured by Labour on every public body? Would it not be prudent to bring out. ypung men of ability — tbere are plenty of tbem available, if given the opportunity — ratber tban to rely upon trade-union secretaries of mediocre ability and already overloaded witb tbe secretarial work wbicb falls to tbeir lot. I hope that tbe Labour Bepresentation Committee will select a team for the next munieipal electiou wbicb will embrace a major number of candidates not already tied up." ' ' Tbe objection to tbat is mostly -tbat it is true," Mr Hunter added. Commenting editorially on the expulsion of Mr Hunter from the Labour Party, the Dunedin Evening Star says: "If all tbe facts are given in tbe published account of the developments, it would seem that Mr Hunter bas been harshly treated. It is an ill reward for long years of faitbful and strenuous service in the cause of tbe workers and it is an example of tbe extreme sensitiveness of Labour to criticism. Hunter 's comments were meant to. be constructive and to benefit bis party. "Tbis resentment is to be ixoted in Government circles to-day; some Ministers have it in a marked degree. Tbougb . traditionally strong advocates of free speecb and unsparing critics of tbe party in power when tbey led the Opposition in tbe House of Eepresentatives, tbey find it bard. to tolerate adverse comments on tbeir own policy. "Some of tbem would even go to the length of limiting the prerogatiyes of tbe Press, whicb bas always oeen looked on as a guardian of the people 's liberties. Free speecb and a free Press are the foundations of democracy. Tbat is why in Germany, Italy and Bussia sucb drastic regulations are imposed for tbe control of tbe Press."