A CHARGE DENIED

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 152, 30 June 1938, Page 10

A CHARGE DENIED

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —At a recent meeting at Kilbirnie the president of the National Party made the accusation that ten trades union secretaries were members of the Communist Party. In their rather complimentary attempt to copy the methods of the Labour Party, the officials of Mr. Weston's organisation must have learned that no member of any other political party is admitted into membership of the Labour Party. This fact is so widely known that it seems incredible that Mr. Weston can be ignorant of it. Two of the gentlemen whose names were mentioned by Mr. Weston have been for many years members of the Miramar Branch of the New Zealand Labour Party, and during their association with my branch have certainly not been members of any other political party. One has never been a trades union secretary.

Many electors at the meeting at Kilbirnie who were not members of the Labour Party know personally several of the gentlemen against whom this inaccurate accusation was made. Surely, Sir, the speakers, when making inaccurate statements, must expect the electors present to voice their disapproval. When such inaccurate statements are made by the president of the National Party the public can expect something! worse from the less responsible and less informed members of his party.—l am, etc.,

C. J. HAY, ' President, Miramar Branch, N.Z. Labour Party.