CRITICISM OR MR SEMPLE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22467, 30 July 1938, Page 16

CRITICISM OR MR SEMPLE

MINISTER AND MEMBER DISAGREE

ECHO OF ATTACK IN HOUSE ON WOMAN SPEAKER [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 29. “Is it right that because a lady expresses her political point of view in a public assembly she should have her character viliiied by a public man?’’ asked Mr W, A. .Bodkin (.National, utago Central), when referring during tne financial debate in the House ot Representatives to-day to an attack made on a woman member of the National Party on Thursday night by the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) about remarks sne had allegedly made at Pukeora sanatorium. Mr Semple’s attack had been based on hearsay evidence, Mr Bodkin said, and had been made under the shelter of Parliamentary privilege. “1 wish to express my utter amazement that a member of this House, speaking from the shelter of Parliament, should make a bitter and personal attack on a lady citizen of this country. I know Mrs Stone, and everyone who knows her respects her, and it is therefore all the more amazing that she should have been attacked by the Minister, simply because she belongs to a 'different school of thought. The Minister was not even quoting from a report of a speech. Attack on Communism “I understand that Mrs Stone was criticising Communism and its effect on women,” Mr Bodkin said, "and I want to remind the Minister and members of this House that one of the fairest criticisms of Communism ever made in this country was made in a broadcast sermon, which the president and secretary of a Labour union promptly interpreted as an attack on the Government. When a lady citizen of this country addresses a ladies’ meeting and, criticises Communism— The Minister for Lands (the Hon. F. Langstone: And applies it to the Labour Government. Mr Bodkin: “When a lady is attacked because she suggests that it would be in the interests of women to stand up for freedom the people of this country will be able to understand the real worth of the Minister for Public Works. An ancient Greek writer said, Tf you want to know a man's true worth give him power.’ ” When the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) went south on his goodwill tour he would be able lo tell the people of the new record created by the Minister .'or Public Works. Mr Bodkin said. The Minister had not even quoted from a newspaper, but had placed his own interpretation on hearsay evidence. It was enough to make anyone boil with indignation. Public men in New Zealand had never stooped to that sort of thing in the past, and he hoped that Mr Semple would enjoy the splendid isolation which his remarks would no doubt earn for him. Mr Semple’s Protest “I have been deliberately and wilfully misrepresented.” said Mr Semple, rising to a point of order immediately after Mr Bodkin had finished his speech. “The member for Central Otago accused me of having made my statement without evidence.” Mr Bodkin: I said hearsay evidence. “In my speech I said I was quoting from a paper published,at one of the sanatoria,” Mr Semple said. “It is the Pukeora “Sanatorium Review,” and it is not an anonymous document, as the names of the associate editors are given. Mr Bodkin said Mrs Stone was merely attacking Communism, but according to this publication she suggested that Labour proposed to destroy legal marriage. I hope I have made it quite clear that my remarks were not unjustified. Mr Bodkin also charged me with making a statement behind protection of this House, but I will make it on every public platform in the country.”