WORKER’S DISMISSAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 194, 25 May 1940, Page 3

WORKER’S DISMISSAL.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. “AMPLE EVIDENCE OF TREACHERY.” 'to the “ Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. “Emphatically, I did not sack the worker at the Haast because he differed with me,” said the Hon. R. Semple ('Minister for Public , Works) yesterday. The Minister Avas asked one question—whether he had information about the man before the meeting.

“Yes, ample evidence to convince me that there was treachery there,” he replied. “I have documents which 1 am prepared to produce before any properly constituted tribunal or to any newspaper editor to prove that I was justified in my action. Never has there been a greater libel on iany public man in this country than that I sacked a man on the Haast because he expressed his opinion.”' The Minister said he had spent all his 1 life in fighting for liberty of speech and he would continue to do so as long as he lived. “But there is a world of difference between expressing one’s opinion and being treacherous to your own country,” lie said. “These traitors are not fighting for freedom of speech—they have that already in the finest country in the world. They are fighting for a licence to give them the right to loaf, to wreck and to betray their own country. If there had been a Conservative Government in power in this country these fellows would have been put behind bars long ago. “The man 1 dismissed was one about whom I have documents to prove lie was a direct ambassador of a foreign Power and that lie definitely swore allegiance to that foreign Power and hatred against the British Commonwealth. at

“Does anyone think, he ought to be allowed to work on Public Works or anywhere else in this country?” If the man had been in Germany and had written a document like that, he would have been shot before dawn. If ho wrote the same thing against the powers that ho in Russia he would have been dead before morning. If ho discovered any more of this treachery he would repeat the dose. Ho hoped that the Haast Pass fellows did not . have any „ sympathisers on other jobs. “There is no room in this country for traitors, however much room there might he for us to differ,” Mr Semple said. “Criticism is helpful even to a Minister of the Crown, but treachery against the nation can’t he tolerated in this country. Holland and Norway had their traitors inside to help the enemy, and look where they are now! There are some of the same sort of individuals here, too, and if they are found out I hope that they will be kicked right out of New Zealand.”