MINSTER’S REPLY

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 377, 8 March 1937, Page 6

MINSTER’S REPLY

! PUBLIC WORKS CAMPS

: DRINKING LIQUOR.

; Mr. Semple Denies Ownership Of Hotel. Press Association—Copyright. Wellington, Last Night.

The steps, he had taken to prevent the consumption of liquor in. Public Works camps. Mare, outlined by the Minister of Public Wqik<- the Hou. R. Semple, yesterday, Mr Semple said a statement had been broadcast that he, as Minister of public Worts, before starting, the Turakina devSatJon, had purchased the hotel at Fordell and that he put his daughter and her husband In the hotel as “dummies” so that he, Mr Semple, would receive the benefit of the : earnings of the men. That statement had been broadcast throughout the Dominion and it had come back to him.

“The facts are,” sai.d Mr Semple, “that I did not know there was a. hotel at Fordell till I went to meet the men employed on l.he job there a. few weeks age. 1 never in my life

owned any interest in a hotel in New Zealand or in any other coutry I ha.ye been in and J never will. This statement lias been made at a time when I a'iu doing my best to keen liquor out of the Public Works camps of the country and if I had my way I would close every hotel in close proximity ! to public works.” j Mr Semple said the following no- | tice was displayed in all PubTjc Works j camps: “Any men found indulging in the following practices are iU'ib’c to

summary dismissal: M) Drinking to

excess in any camp or, ( n any work under the control of the department. (2) Behaving in a disorderly manner on the works. (3) Absenting themselves from work without leave or when on works being in an unfit state to do a fair day’s work. (4) Brawling in camp.”