PREPARED TO DIE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 78, 29 September 1938, Page 10

PREPARED TO DIE

IN DEFENCE OF N.Z.

MR. SEMPLE'S READINESS

{By relefrraph—Press Association.}

V INVERCARGILL, This Day,

The Civic Theatre was packed last night to hear an address by the Hon. R: Semple, who said New Zealand would give Britain 100 per cent, loyalty. Britain had tried its utmost to prevent war and had tried to lead the world in disarmament. The nation had taken insult after insult in trying to preserve peace, and it was still to be hoped that the efforts would not be in vain.

The Minister asserted that on the question of loyalty or courage he would undertake to shoot as straight as most men and to withstand as much hardship as others. He would prefer to die in defence of his country to living under the will of one man, and a lunatic at that. (Applause.)

The meeting was most orderly and a vote of complete confidence in the Labour Government was carried with one dissentient.