DIRECT CHALLENGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 August 1938, Page 4

DIRECT CHALLENGE

t ATTACK ON MRS E. L. STONE MR ?EMPLE ASKED TO WAIVE PRIVILEGE AND FACE LIBEL ACTION (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Following on statements made by the Hon R. Semple, Minister of Public Works, in his speech broadcast from the House of Representatives on Thursday, a letter has been sent to the Minister by Mrs E. L. Stone, who was attacked, asking that the Minister should waive his Parliamentary privilege and “consent to my issuing a libel suit against, you so that we may take the opinion of twelve jurymen on the attack you have made on my character.” The letter is as follows: — 77 Roxburgh. Street, Wellington, July 30, 1938. The Hon R. Semple, Dear Sir, — From your privileged position as a member of Parliament, and knowing that your speech was being broadcast over the radio on Thursday night, you made a personal attack on me and among other things used these words: — “She is not fit to be at large. . . . She was too vile in character to be called a woman.” It was surely courageous of you, even although it may not have been in accordance with the traditions of Honourable Gentlemen —to attack a woman without any previous warning and when no reply could be made by her over the air. But I have been told that I cannot bring a libel suit against an M.P. for anything said by him in Parliament. I therefore challenge you, sir, to waive your Parliamentary privilege on this occasion and consent to my issuing a libel suit against you so that we may take the opinion of twelve jurymen on the attack you . have made on my character. I ask you to give me that opportunity and thus show the’ public that Parliament has not become a castle of cowards who will say under cover of privilege what they would not dare to say without that protection. Yours truly, (Mrs) E. L. STONE.