IN TIMES OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1938, Page 21

IN TIMES OF WAR

MR. SEMPLE'S ATTITUDE

AN UNPOPULAR QUESTION

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

INVERCARGILL, September 30.

The attitude of the Minister of Public Works (the Hon.' R. Semple) towards war was sharply defined by him in an address at Tuatapere. An interjector nsked why he had not gone to the last war, and the Minister replied: "If. war comes I'll say 'Come,' I.wqn!t say, 'Go,' arid,l'll sling a rifle,quicker than the cur who, asked me that questiori. Although I'm' over military age I'll have a pop myself." • '■'•"• '-

When the interjector asked the. question, it did not seem popular with the audience, but Mr. Semple was with his reply.

"I'm tired of that common question," he said. "It has not been mentioned to' me for years, but notes have been sent round trying to make it appear that I apdb a few others of the present Ministers, who got into grips with the war-time Government, are not fit to be *in charge of the country in the event of hostilities. " 'Why didn't you go to the war?' some cur yells, with his head well down. I'll tell you. I wasn't called up.- I had five children and my turn didn't come." (Applause.) Mr. Semple said that at the time of the war he was spokesman for the miners and was deputed to denounce the Government for allowing "ruthless profiteering to go on in the. country while New Zealand's young manhood was bleeding to death on the field of battle." „ ' . , All kinds of profiteering and robbing had been going on in the country. He protested, and because he protested he was described as bringing the Government of the day into ridicule and contempt. That had been his intention. He would not have been entitled to be called a man if he had not