NOT ACCORDING TO HOYLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 201, 26 August 1939, Page 8

NOT ACCORDING TO HOYLE.

It was very unkind of the Leader of the Opposition to accept the Hon. R. Semple's challenge that if Mr. Hamilton could prove assertions that the Department had squandered money on public works he would resign from public life. Such challenges as this arc not issued for acceptance, but so that for the rest of his career the maker can sonorously prove that he is a model of virtue by again and again trumpeting forth that he challenged the world to prove that his administration was less than perfect and the world failed. But Mr. Hamilton spoilt it all hv accepting the challenge and thus calling upon the Minister to justify his works. That was a nasty one, quite unexpected and manifestly unfair, and it left Mr. Semplo nonplusstyl. He hedged a little on his defiance, and then asked for proof that in the expenditure of the money for which he was personally responsible there had been waste. Then he suggested a private conference —this was not a matter to be argued about when other people could listen in and form their own conclusions. Mr. Frascr canic to the rescue, putting his foot down on the whole proposition "with a firm hand." It was ridiculous to suggest that a Commission be set up to inquire into the doings of a Minister of the Crown, and the whole matter tfas not worth wasting time upon. Rather a facer for the creator of the situation, but probably effective, and it is not likely that very much more will be heard of the challenge. Mr. Semple is a fine administrator and has many good qualities, but discretion is not the most remarkable of them, and he has a habit of spoiling an otherwise good speech by some extravagant irrelevancy. A good sub-editor, who would go through his :-pecehcs before they were made and tell him what not to say and when not to "fly off the handle" would be an invaluable asset to the Minister of Public Works.