POLITICAL HEAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1938, Page 7

POLITICAL HEAT

SENSATION IN AUSTRALIA MINISTER’S “FASCIST LIKE DECLARATION. RESENTED BY OPPOSITION LEADER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. SYDNEY, Dcember 20. I According to the "Sun" a political I sensation has been caused by the Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr H. V. C. Thorby, who according to reports, bitterly attacked the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Curtin, as a result of the latter’s criticism of the proposed Air Court of Inquiry. Mr Thorby is reported to have described Mr Curtin as a political crank who deliberately misquoted and misconstrued Government statements and plans. Mr Thorby added: “I wish I had the power to put traitors against lhe wall and shoot them.” Mr Curtin, replying from Perth by telephone today, said he intends to ask the Prime Minister to accept responsibility for Mr Thorby’s Fascist-like declaration or else gazette him out of office. MR THORBY EXPLAINS “SECTION OF PRESS” BLAMED. EXPRESSIONS OF GENERAL EXASPERATION. (Received This Day, 11.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Mr Thorby has issued a statement that certain remarks attributed to him by a section of the Press in criticsm of criticism of Mr Curtin had not been fairly stated. He added that those “obviously exagerated” allusions were built up from what were simply expressions of general exasperation at persistent criticism of Ministers and Government. The “Herald” says Mr J. A. Lyons (Federal Prime Minister) has been in touch with Mr Thorby on the subject, and it is known that Mr Lyons regards the matter very seriously. Mr Curtin, in a statement at Perth, said he proposed to take no further action, as it would appear that Mr Thorby in his latest statement, had made it clear that he had no intention of impugning either his honour or loyalty. _________