FISTICUFFS BETWEEN COALITION LEADERS?

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 192, 7 April 1932, Page 5

FISTICUFFS BETWEEN COALITION LEADERS?

("Post" Special Commissioner).

RUMOURS DiENlEE5 F0RMER UAN0S MINISTER RAISES MATTER IN HOUSE DEPLORABLY UNFAIR TACTICS

WELLINGTON, Wednesday; An dllegation that there was an Unfoundfed runiour abr'oad to the SfFect that Mr. Forbes arid' Mr. Coates ha.d rfecdfitly ehgaged ' ih fisticuffs 6Ver political differences was mddh by tHh Hbp. A. D; McLeod in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. McLeqd Was replying specificalfy to remarks ' made by Mr. " C)." Garr (Labour, Tima'fif), abbut Idndbwners. Thfe statettifents ihade by Mr. Garr, said" Mr/ McLeod, w'efe very unfair tb thg iaiiSbwnfers, ^ho were . as syihpfetHetie with thfe unfemployed as driyofie. ' It was a flirect atfaclc bn the land-owning class and no merfiber would dare' to make' it btitside the Housfe. StatemehtS of this riature wer fe desighed ' tb effeatfe an atmosphefe butside the IlouSe for political jrarpdses." ■' . "Ther 6 is a state-

merit abroad that tlifef fe have been fisticufis b'etWe'en thfe Primfe Minister and the Minister of Pilblic Works," said Mr. McLedd. A Labour fcifeni-be-r: "Who started that?" , Mr. McLeod: "I say it is fentirelj;

ineorrect, but it is Mr. Forfjes being made througout the city and throughout the whole of New ZeaIand. It is deplorable that there should be such a state of affairs, and I do not speak of eifher side- of tlie House that gentlemen who are prepared to give their services to the public, irrespective of what side- of iolitics they are on, should be unairly attacked. Members bf ^this louse sbbuld be protfected. Memjxers assemble Iri the highest court |n the land arid it: it hard when they afe subjected to innuendos and suggestions which detrach from their pharactersi" Mr. Cafr said he

did riot make any wholesal© condemliation df the landowriers, but conderiined the actioris of cei*tain ifidividuals wlib wfefe specifically strited, and others who Kad acted similarly.

Mr. F. W: Sch- ^ Mr; Coates ramrii (Auckland Last) speaking for the Labour Party, disclaimed any responsibility for the i umours referred to by Mr. McLeod. The. Labour Party did not eirculate them and did not know anything about them. Mr. McLeod: What were they? Mr. Schramm: It's no use my saying what they were. They are in the nature of tea party gossip.