HON. W. NASH

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 145, 22 June 1938, Page 13

HON. W. NASH

"COWARDLY ATTACK"

DISTRIBUTION OF LEAFLETS

MINISTER'S THREAT

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.

"Communism, Bolshevism, and Fascism were strongly denounced by the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. H; Semple) at Waimate last night. The Minister said that an attempt was being made in the Hutt electorate to associate Mr. Nash with the doctrine at present being enforced ' in Russia, and to represent Mr. Nash to the people of New Zealand as a- follower of the "breed of Communism." . This was a vile and cowardly assault from under cover upon a man who was an implacable foe of all doctrines of force operating in the world today.

"I know of no better Christian in New Zealand than. Mr. Nash," said Mr. Semple. "If there Is any doctrine to which he is allied it is the doctrine of Christianity. Mr. Nash is an Englishman, and to the English there is no doctrine or creed more repugnant than those which seek to thrust themselves upon the people at the point of the bayonet and by the dropping of bombs. We will not stand for that sort of thing in New Zealand or in any other British country."

Mr. Semple added that the life and work. 6f the present Minister of Finance in New Zealand had been in continual conflict with such doctrines as those of Communism, Bolshevism, apd Fascism. This fact wellknown to people who knew Mr. Nash. Ah effort was being made to associate Mr.,Nash with the foul practices sometimes underlying these political'creeds.

The attack was being made in a most cowardly fashion, added Mr. Semple. Leaflets were being delivered to letter-boxes of residents in the Hutt electorate during the hours of darkness. These leaflets did not carry an imprint and this made the task of tracing the distributor particularly difficult. The result was that one of the most cowardly methods of fighting an election was being perpetrated in New Zealand today.

• Mr. Semple concluded by saying that the Government would use all its resources to protect New Zealand from the introduction of any political creed, which depended on the exercise of force for its initiation and subsequent administration. In doing this it did not mind what measure of criticism it received so long as that criticism was fair, but it would visit the severest punishment on those responsible for the treacherous, and malicious form of propaganda now being distributed in the' North Island.