“NO SWELLED HEAD”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 493, 24 October 1928, Page 11

“NO SWELLED HEAD”

MR. COATES LAUDED PERSONALITIES AT GISBORNE fSpecial to TUB SUN) GISBORNE, Tuesday. “I dislike criticising anyone/ said tho Hon. K. S. Williams, Alinister of Public Works, at Tokomaru Bay, “but I think I am entitled to refer to the statement made by Air. Clayton, the. United Party candidate, to the effect that the Prime Alinister is suffei'ing from a ‘swelled head/ “Air. Clayton obviously was speaking in ignorance, and I do not think any man is justified in making an assertion of that description purely upon assumption, or as the result of some allegation he. had heard made elsewhere. “If he must indulge in personalities he should substantiate his remarks first. It has been my privilege to be associated with the Prime Alinister, and to work closely with him for some years, and I want to say emphatically that I have not seen the slightest sign of conceit or ‘swelled head’ about him. It would be difficult to find a more quietly thorough, hard-working, clearthinking man anywhere in New Zealand than the. Prime Alinister. I mention this, although the statement referred to was not made in my electorate, because I regard it as a reflection upon a man of whom we should all be proud, whatever our political opinion. “No man, I can assure you, could have given a closer study to his work or shown a more genuine desire to fathom the many problems with which he is confronted than has Mr. Coates. I give Mr. Clayton’s statement a most definite denial.”