LEAFLET RAID

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1943, Page 8

LEAFLET RAID

AUCKLAND INCIDENT

RESPONSIBILITY TAKEN

O.C. AUCKLAND, This Day. ' A frank statement that he alone had been responsible for the "leaflet raid" carried out from an aircraft over the city on Wednesday afternoon, when, pamphlets dealing with the Democratic Labour Party were dropped, was made by Flying Officer L. S. Dromgoole, the party's candidate for Auckland East, when addressing a meeting of over 200 in the Victoria Theatre last night.

"I think a lot of you will be.interested in what I am going to say about broadcasting," said Flying Officer Dromgoole, amid laughter. "Yesterday you witnessed the first political leaflet raid1 in the history of New Zealand, and we certainly stole a march on the Labour Party.

"REPERCUSSIONS HAVE BEGUN."

"I accept full responsibility for. the action. In fact, I expect that when I return to my station on Sunday morning I will be court-martiailed. "Our opponent, the Hon. W. E. Parry, promised serious consequences, and described my action as a typical piece of 'Leeism,' yet John A. Lee knew nothing about it. It was enterprising and honest, and showed that we are i not just party hacks. It is time we had some initiative in the government |of this country. I "Repercussions already have begun," I Flying Officer Dromgoole continued. "I believe the police are oh my trail,' and I intend to see them and tell them that I did it. The Prime Minister, also,, is on my trail. He telephoned the command-. ing officer of the station to which I am attached wanting to know how this sort of thing could possibly have hapipened.

EXAMINED FOR TWO HOURS

"On the instructions of the Prime Minister, the pilot of the aircraft was interrogated. I was taken before a tribunal today, and examined for two hours.

"The pilot of the machine did what he did quite unwittingly; He was merely the agent and I was the principal. I do not consider he should be victimised for an action of which he was unaware."

Most of the questions at the meeting dealt with the "leaflet raid." One man in the: audience! asked the candidate how he could be court-martialled whea he was engaged in an election in civilian clothes and without pay and allowances. ' '. V ; :

"I think I am a-civilian-.all right, but I think they will try to work round King's replied the candidate. "I believe they are allowed to charge me within 12 hours after returning to camp." . Many of the candidate's remarks during this portion of his address were greeted with vociferous applause. At the conclusion he was accorded a.vote of confidence with only about five dissentients. .