POLITICAL MYSTERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 154, 2 July 1927, Page 10

POLITICAL MYSTERY.

SECRET LIBEP4L MEETING. "TO DISCREDIT PREMiER" A DEADLY MTNUEKDO. DENOUNCED BY MR. VEITiCH. CHALLENGE TO MINISTER. WELLINGTON, Friday.

|By Telegraph.—Parliamentry Reporter.) The touch of mystery about some.references of the* Hon. ~A. D.'McLeOdj Minister of Lands, to a supposed meeting of Liberals in the recess, gave members of, the House a fresh interest in the Address-in-Reply debate to ; day.. Mr. McLeod, who had listened to a good deal of indirect talk about the Reformiparty** funds, returned" the fire r by- saying he had heard something of a meeting"-of "i liberals held in the recess. "He :would; not say thatthg Leader;of the Nationalparty or the Leader of the Liberal party had been associated -with it,' but he expected to see three of four concernedbecome candidates at the next'general election. ."■ .:;•■-"-'". ' Mr. Forbes: Why not? "' Mr. P. Fraser: Give us the whole jßtory. • -—-.■-—£• -v- t .- The Myrister: One thing in particular was duflHed at the meeting—the destructioPra the popularity of the Prime Minister. -.. ~-\ Mr. Forbes:' I 'never 'heard oi : v Mr. McLeod added that it had" been suggested that the thing cOuld be;pro>' perly handled in that direction.' "ilinkW iw charge against the Labour party," he said. "My experience of the Labour party has been that on the whole they; fight fair." If I "laM v a: charge'against anybody I should lay it,, perhaps, wrongly* at the Leader of the new-Lib-eral party.- (Laughter.) '" •>. » *- ■-- » ; « o ■• c.~ Mr. Veitch: What is the charge?.. Mr. r Atmo.ro JNelson^/A-; deadly nuendo. ; . ; Repndiation by Mr. Veitch. When some solution of the mysterious statement by the Minister of Lands waa sought from Mr. Vettcb, the!latfer'de-J - clared to yoiir correspondent that-he was : as puzzled •-.aeu. iriquirCT;. ; ister," he said, --has" saepj fit to make an. ( j accusation in appears to mean, or he attempted: tol": create the impression, -that.l had,beeh party to a, secre-t ! %eetmg; :. ■was arranged to do something, dishon- * «urable--to discredit the Prime Minister; s I challenge Mr, McL#& to produce any- . thifemhavA eW doiwn | Z*J he kind - Tt « true that we me**uigi£;6f touree; an* I ol «al^^^^bl^^g^^^ Zealand - Those meetings were confidenL • , ■"'"--- -~ :'~L: —J - "- ■- '- i

tial, as with, all,party committee meetings- Jt>bes. the Minister of Lands suggest that politcal parties are not entitled to hold meetings and" carry' on their busi-ness-in'their own, way? The implications contained in Mr. McLeod's statement is; a subtle suggestion, with no definite accusation, no foundation in fact, and/ a falsehood that is veiled in subtle suggestion is- the worst kind of falsehood;- the • Minister goes eavesdropping: I hope-he will be as accurate as possible;in 'retailing.' his impressions in futu^e. ,, . ■