POLITICAL MEETINGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 71, 25 March 1938, Page 12

POLITICAL MEETINGS

POWERS OF POLICE

REPLY TO MR. FRASER

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

HASTINGS, March 24.

Further comment on the powers of the police at political meetings was made by Mr. S. G. Holland, M.P., during National Party meetings at Hastings tonight.' His comment was in reply to the, Minister in Charge of the Police Department (the Hon. P. Fraser). "I am sure every fair-minded citizen will welcome Mr. Fraser's assurance that if further disturbance at political meetings make it necessary to amend the law the Government will not hesitate to make the necessary amendments," he said. "I am sure, too, that the people will welcome Mr. Fraser's declaration, belated thought it may be, that the Labour Government disapproves of these organised attempts to prevent speakers representing parties opposed to the Government from being heard at public meetings, and it is hoped that Mr. Fraser's pronouncement will have the desired result.

"As for the balance of Mr. Fraser's two-column statement, he has merely employed the old political trick of building up a straw man, then proceeding to the length of a column to knock the straw man over. Mr. Fraser builds a case to criticise me based on an incorrect inference that I criticised the police. Mr. Fraser knows as well as I do that I did nothing of the kind/ All I did was to say that the police had instructions and would not eject anyone disturbing the peace unless they had their instructions in writing. Mr. Fraser now admits that my statement was strictly in accordance with facts, and I do not wish to rob him of any pleasure he gets from knocking his straw man over."