OPPOSITION LEADER

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 10

OPPOSITION LEADER

MR. SEMPLE'S ATTACK

A PERSONAL REFERENCE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 24. "It is going to be a proper trial of strength—with the useful people on the one hand and the usurers on the other," said the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) tonight, discussing the General Election.

"People who want a perpetuation of usury will align themselves together as never before and with all the influence of money, backed by a section of the Press, they will fight. We must remember to fight hard, too. That is why I am fighting now when I ought to be at home with my wife having a rest, but we realise that we cannot win an election fight by sitting up in Wellington.

"The people have become politicallyminded. Mr. Hamilton has said that, but he was on the wrong track when he gave his reasons. He_says it is because people fear the Labour Government, but they are getting politicallyminded because they fear Mr. Hamilton and his crowd will come back. They fear a return of clothes drives and soup kitchens.

"I have known all Prime Ministers of New Zealand since Seddon. 1 have known Seddon, Ward, Hall-Jones,' Mackenzie, Massey (I knew him exceedingly well, because he put me in the 'cooler' about five or six times'., Coates, and Forbes, and the present gentleman at,the head of the National Party, but I declare that I would rather have had any of them a thousand times than this new leader of the National Party."