LOYALTY DEFENDED

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20822, 5 June 1939, Page 6

LOYALTY DEFENDED

MINISTER AND WORKER HON. R. SEMPLE’S ACTIVITIES RECRUITING MEETING IN SOUTH (By Telerrsph.—Press Association j CHRISTCHURCH, Monday Sharp exchanges between the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. it. Semple, and a member of his audience, Mr J. Worrall, enlivened a recruiting meeting conducted by the Minister at lhe Oaro Public Works camp. In the course of his address Mr Semple gave an account of his activities in opposing profiteering during the Great Wax. For the principles he stood lor in those days he had been thrown into prison, he said, and to-day he would iace a firing squad rather than retreat from the stand he had adopted then. “ In fighting the war vultures and profiteers who exploited this oountry and earned dividends that would have paid half of the £80,000,000 debt piled up by New Zealand, 1 claim 1 was as loyal as any other man,” said the Minister. * 1 tried to stop no man from going overseas. That was his business arm no ooncern of mine. It w'tts my concern to protest against the war Government’s actions in allowing this count:*, be exploited In the way that it was Mr Worrall; When so many of tffi miners for whom you were agent we:-*-going overseas did you enlist? Air Semple: No, my turn had not come. 1 had a wife aud my live child ren were all young at that time. “ Unmitigated Lie ” Mr Worrall: Is it not true that whi. you were in prison you urged oUk. men who were there with you not lu fight 2 Mr Semple: If that statement hue. been made it is an unmitigated lie. j advised no man not to fight for hi* country. Mv own relations went overseas and 1 made no effort to stop them. My family and that of my wife’s contributed their share to the sacrifice made by New Zealand. I was opposed to the conscripting of men while there was no conscription of wealth. I fought lor the principle of equal service and equal sacrifice. Air Worrall: Has any wax In which the British Empire has been engaged been iought in the interests of tiie working class*/ Mr Semple: No war in history hatbeen fought lor the working people Air Worrall: Is there any guaranu that working men Joining the delen*-. force will not be sent overseas if IJj> Empire again goes lo wart Mr Semple: No guarantee at all. That would be a matter for decision iby Cabinet. The men we are appealing |to to-day are wanted for home de- ! fence. We are not raising an expedij tioiiary force. If it were necessary to ! send men overseas to stand by the ' Mother Country the Government woul i not be found inactive. Alost probably ! an appeal lor volunteers would be ! made. The cards you are being ask>- 1 j to sign do not mean that you are going to be sent to light in the first war j ihat breaks out. Other arrangements would have to be made before that could be done, but the man who is not ready to defend New Zealand and the heritage of his children is a coward. More than 200 attended the meeting, and a resolution defending the defence policy of the Government was passed, with two dissentients. A committee was set up to obtain recruits for the Defence Reserve.