'Hitler ‘label upsets Minister

Press, 2 September 1977, Page 22

'Hitler ‘label upsets Minister

PA Wellington rhe Minister of Education (Mr Gandar) has told the president of the Methodist Conference (The Rev. P A. Stead) that he will not attend Methodist functions until Mr Stead retracts a statement he made earlier this year likening the Prime Minister •Mr Muldoon) to Adolf Hitler Mr Gandar said that Mr Stead had not retracted the statement. He was explaining why he had declined an invitation bv a Methodist minister, the Rev. I. D. Borrie, to speak at a meeting on education in Porirua. Mr Gandar said he had told Mr Borrie he was not pre- ; pared to speak at the Methodist meeting until Mr Stead retracted his statement. •That is where the matter rests,” he said. Mr Gandar. who was married in the Methodist Church, and whose children were baptised in the Church, said he had told Mr Stead he did not think he had the right to speak for all Methodists. He found Mr Stead's reference to Mr Muldoon, who had fought in World War 11, ‘•personally insulting."

“I objected very stronglv !. . .” he said. There was no political overtones to his decision not to attend Methodist functions. “It was just a personal decision I made, and I am sorry it has become public,” he said Mr Stead said last evening that he had no intention of backing down from his original statement, unless someone could show him it was wrong. “I’m disappointed Mr Gandar has taken this line,” he said “I know him. and I have a high degree of respect for him. I find it difficult to understand him taking this approach. "I'm surprised he accepts the Prime Minister’s line. “I’d have thought he would be discerning enough to see that the Prime Minis- j ter is in fact vers evasive ■ when he is criticised.” Mr Stead said he still believed the comparison between Mr Muldoon and Adolf Hitler was valid in the sense he had originally meant it— | that both men tended to 'brush aside” the churches, and attack any group which criticised them.