HOME DEFENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 June 1939, Page 5

HOME DEFENCE

MR SEMPLE AT RECRUITING ‘ MEETING EXCHANGES WITH MEMBER OF AUDIENCE. GREAT WAR AND OTHER WARS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. This Day. Sharp exchanges between the Minister of Public Works (Mr. Semple) and a member of his audience. Mr. J. Worrail, enlivened a recruiting meeting conducted by the Minister at the Oaro Public Works camp. In the course of his address, Mr. Semple gave an account of his activities in opposing profiteering in the Great War. For the principles he stood for in those clays, he had been thrown into prison, he said, and today he would face a firing squad rather than retreat from the stand he had adopted then.

“In fighting the war vultures and profiteers who exploited this country and earned dividends that would have paid half of the £80,009,000 debt piled up by New Zealand, I claim I was as loyal as any other man," said the Minister. “I tried to stop no man from going overseas. That was his business and no concern of mine. It was my concern to protest against the war Government’s action in allowing this country to be exploited in the way that it was.”

Mr. Worrall." When so many of the miners for whom you were agent were going overseas, did you enlist?” Mr. Semple: "No; my turn had not come. I had a wife and my five children were all young at that time.” Mr. Worrall: “It is not true that while you were in prison you urged ither men who were there with you not to fight?" 1

Mr. Semple: "If that statement has been made, it is an unmitigated lie. 1 advised no man not to light for his country. My own relations went overseas and I made no effort to stop them. My family and that, of my wife contributed their share to the sacrificemade by New Zealand. I was opposed to the conscripting of men while there was no conscription of wealth. T fought for the principle of equal service and equal sacrifice." Mr. Worrall: "Has any war in which the British Empire has been engaged been fought in the interests of the working class?” Mr. Semple: “No war in history has been fought for the- working people.” Mr. Worrall: "Is there-any guarantee that working men joining the Defence Force will not be sent overseas if the Umpire again goes to war?” Mr. Semple: “No guarantee at all. That would be, a matter for decision by Cabinet. The men we are appealing to today are wanted for home defence. We are not raising an Expeditionary Force. If it were necessary to send men" overseas to stand by the Mother Country, the Government would not be found inactive. Most probably an appeal for volunteers would be made. The cards you arc being asked to sign do not mean that. You arc not going to be sent to fight in the first war that breaks out. Other arrangements would have to be made before that could be done, but a man who is not ready to defend New Zealand and lhe heritage of his children is a coward." Over two hundred attended the meet • ing. A resolution supporting the Defence policy of the Government, was carried with two dissentients. A com-nitlc-e was set up to obtain recruits for the Defence Reserve.