"CHAIN LETTER"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 90, 13 October 1938, Page 10

"CHAIN LETTER"

CHARGE REFUTED

MR. HAMILTON EMPHATIC

"AN UNSAVOURY

NOTE"

An emphatic denial of any suggestion that the National Party had anything to do with the "chain letter" was made by the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) when speaking at St. Francis Hall last night "Now I wish to refer to a particularly disagreeable and unsavoury note which has been introduced by the Labour Party into the election campaign, and to refute a statement made against the National Party which can only be described as slanderous," said Mr. Hamilton. "It concerns a chain letter, which has been freely circulated all over the Dominion with the intention of stirring up religious bitterness among the people. Happily, it has failed in its object. From platforms and through the Press, the National Party has denied any knowledge of this malicious document. (Applause.) The president of the party and I both made statements to the Press ,and denials were issued also by our candidates and party representatives all over New Zealand. "I regret to say that notwithstanding these refutations the Prime Minister, when speaking at Auckland last evening, publicly charged the Nati6nai Party with its authorship—(cries of "Shame!")—though Mr. Savage must have been aware that he was saying something that was hot true. Such tactics are reprehensible at any time, and are particularly so in a man of Mr. Savage's standing and responsibility. "Now J. want to say this, that when Mr. Savage makes a statement I accept his word; and I would remind him that I, too, am in the habit of having my word accepted. I resent his- deliberate inference that wo are not telling the truth. "For our part we have fought this election campaign in a clean and open spirit, and I hope that when the election is over we will be able to say the same of our opponents. "I again deny any knowledge whatever of the authorship of the chain letter referred to, and I say once more that it was in no way inspired nor condoned by the National Party. I hope that is clear enough, and I know that my word will be accepted, if not by the Prime Minister, then by the mass of the people throughout New Zealand. (Applause.) WHY THE PUBLICITY? j "But let me ask this question: If \ the Labour Party deplores the circu- j lation of this chain letter—and any decent-thinking person will deplore it — w hy is the Labour Party itself! giving its disgusting details such publicity? Why is it that copies of the letter. are being sent out by Labour candidates themselves? I have here in my possession two copies sent out with the compliments of a Labour candidate, and carrying his signature. And there are others. There may be plenty more. j Voices: Read it out! Mr. Hamilton: The signature is authoritative. "In the face of these facts are we not entitled to ask: Where does the responsibility lie for the strife and bitterness which this document has created?" asked Mr. Hamilton. "We are well aware of the subtle propaganda methods of the Communists, and it would be a fair assumption to suggest that this letter has been inspired by the Communists with the ob" ject of providing the Labour Party —which they openly support—with =_ weapon to use in damaging the National Party's cause. "The attitude of the National Party towards religion has been made unmistakably clear on numerous occasions. I have stated from the platform and in the Press ,that we stand for Christian principles in all our dealings, and we oppose the entry of religious controversy into politics. I repeat this, and I want to add that those who introduce religious strife into politics are doing a grave disservice to the country as a whole, and those who associate the name of the National Party with such efforts are perpetrating a gross misrepresentation of what this party stands for. We will have nothing whatever to do with controversial religious issues in the political field, and we dissociate ourselves entirely from them and from those who endeavour to foster them." (Applause.)