“ANY PORT IN A STORM.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3972, 18 July 1929, Page 3

“ANY PORT IN A STORM.”

MR. J. A. NASH AND THE GALLANT COLONEL.

Past political performances by the United member for Wairarapa (Colonel T. W. McDonald) were described by Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston) in the course of his Ad-dress-in-Reply speeteh in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. There were some lively interjec • tions as AD'- Nash led up to his subject. Colonel McDonald, he said, had informed the House that he would tell him privately why the Palmerston North railway deviation had been stopped. Colonel McDonald: He never said anything of the kind! Mr. Nash: If Colonel McDonald is going to refute statements he has made, I don’t know where we are going to get to. My (reason for bringing it forward is that I want to see that it is an Hansard, and that it goes into Hansard. I took a note of it when he spoke. Air. A. AI. 'Samuel (Thames) : He certainly made the statement. The Prime Minister: Colonel AlcDonald has contradicted it. Surely the member must accept that. Air. Speaker suggested that Colonel AfcDonald should make a personal explanation at the conclusion of Air. Nash’s speech. Colonel McDonalc]: I will do that. “Wle don’t want any more ‘whispering,’ ” continued Air. Nash. “I do riot want to enjoy any of !Colonel AlcDonald’s confidences. I challenge him to say why the deviation was stopped. Colonel AlcDonald: The challenge is accepted.

Air. Nash: I shall be very glad to hear what Colonel AlcDonald has up his sleeve which lie desires to impart to me in a private way. I think we know Colonel AfcDonald lias been something of a political ■twister. There is no doubt about, that. We remember when he offered his services to the Reform Party for the Pa tea electorate. Reform members: Oh! oh! Air. Samuel: They would not have him. (Laughter). Air. Nash: No; and quite right. Then we remember his standing as an Independent Reformer for Wellington Suburbs. Colonel AlcDonald: He never did. I deny that, Air. Speaker. Air. .'Nash: I’ll say, then, that you stood as an Independent. That will suit my purposes. Colonel AlcDonald: Anything would suit your purposes. Air. Speaker: Order! order! Air. J. S. Fletcher (Grey Lynn) made an inaudible interjection, which prompted Air. Nash to say: I ami reminded of the song, “Somewhere a voice is calling.” (Reform laughter). Mr. Fletcheir: Not for you, though. Air. Speaker: 'Order! order! Air. Nash: Later on, Colonel AlcDonald offered his services to the Labour Party’. Does lie deny that? Colonel AfcDonald: Yes, he does. Air. Nash: Now ho is with the United Party —a case of any port in a storm, (Reform laughter). Later in the evening Colonel AlcDonald rose to make a personal explanation. “I wish to deny emphatically,” he said, “that I offered my services'as a candidate to the Labour Party’. I did nothing of the sort. In the second place I did not say “I will tell you privately how they do things at Palmerston North.’ ” Air. Nash: I did not say 7 you offered your services as a candidate to the Labour Party. I think what I said was that you offered your services to the Labour Party. In regard to the other point, I took a note of Colonel AfcDonald’s remarks, which were to this effect: T know how they do things at Palmerston North. I will tell you privately.’ However, if he says he did not say that I will accept his explanation.”