WRONG IMPRESSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 January 1942, Page 4

WRONG IMPRESSION

CREATED BY REPORT MINISTER RESENTS STATEMENT. MANPOWER COMMITTEE INCIDENT. " (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Resentment at a Press Association report published on Thursday of a case before the Palmerston North Manpower Committee in which reference was made to himself was expressed by the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple, in an interview last night. The case was one in which Mrs J. M. Quirke appealed against the calling-up of her husband for Territorial service, and during her cross-examination the .statement was made by Mrs Quirke that her husband was a "private secretary to Mr Semple.”

“The statement sent by Press Association throughout the country left the impression, and in my opinion it was designed to leave such an impression, that I had something to do as Minister of National Service with the appeal that Mrs Quirke lodged on behalf of her husband,” said Mr Semple. “Such an impression is not only unfair but in my opinion wicked. I knew nothing about this appeal till I read about it in the Press. He is not one of my private secretaries. He is a male stenographer working with Mr J. A. Mitchell, who is my private secretary dealing with railway matters.

“I have only seen this young man once or twice, and that was when he came into my office to take notes in Mr Mitchell’s absence when deputations were interviewing me on railway questions. I did not know whether he was married or single, and had not the faintest idea that his wife or anyone else was appealing on his behalf. As far as the wife of this young man is concerned I have never seen her in my life, nor have I ever had any discussion with her husband on any subject at all, let alone on military matters.

“The last thing I would think of doing,” continued Mr Semple, “would be to interfere in any way with the functions of a manpower committee or a Court of Appeal. The moment I did that the principles underlying these institutions would be destroyed and I would leave myself open for real and severe criticism, particularly if I sought to protect anyone who was working in my department. These matters are left entirely to the jurisdiction of manpower committees in the case of Territorials required for the defence of New Zealand, and to the armed forces appeal boards in the case of men for overseas. The members of these tribunals will testify that I have never used any influence on them in any shape or form, and I. never shall. To create the impression that I did so is unfair, unkind, wicked and deliberately false.” Mr Semple said that his two sons were voluntarily fighting overseas and that it was unlikely that he would appeal to protect anyone else. He had himself volunteered for service on two occasions to fight.