MINISTER AND CRITICS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 July 1936, Page 7

MINISTER AND CRITICS

APOLOGY—OR ‘-‘RUNNING SHOES.” [FEB PBESS ASSOCIATION.] • ' ’ ' MOTUEKA, July 1. The statement of the ' Minister of Public Works,"Hon. R. .Semple,' that he intended" to dear with the malcontents, who have been employed here on the aerodrome, aroused wide interest throughout the district, and for the Minister’s meeting here to-night, the hall, holding over 600 people, wae crowded out half-an-hour before the meeting began. Many people attended from Nelson. The Minister reviewed the legislation of the past session. He also outlined the future programme. A unanimous vote of confidence in the Government was passed by the meeting. Replying to the Motueka aerodrome workers in the course of his address, Mr. Semple said' that if the men did not withdraw the resolutions which they had: passed; and apologise to the Government, ha would put them off thel work, or would stop it altogether; I “If I thought that men like" these who have complained were responsible for putting me z Ato power,” declared the: Minister,- -Til resign! What do you think of men with; such a mentality, who would pen such resolutions as that; after’what I have told you? There are eighteen - ornineteeri resolutions. They must have had a brain storm, and developed a form of spinal meningitis!”... ?' In reply to one, resolution, suggesting that th©: Government, who had offered -guaranteed -'prices to farmers who were not affiliated to the Labour Party, should give workers a guaranteedminimum price for their labour, Mr. Senjple said that the Labour Party would be better off without those men. He pointed out that for the last month, the average pay to the men on the Motueka aerodrome was 19/5 per day. The highest wage paid to them was 23/4 per day. This payment was a guaranteed price. The Minister said: “The minimum is 16/-, and the highest is as much as they can make on the prices offered! They castigate my Government, and condemn my engin-eers’.'department;-and then they send .offensive resolutions, and call me an r outsider.- What Minister, unless he were of. the same spirit and spine as a whitdbait, would taka it? All that I have ted to do is to play the game with them. They are objecting to the farmer receiving a guaranteed price. : Most of the farmers do not reecive day ” He stated that he had seen farmers and their families come in tired and weary-at 1 -night'; aridhad seen them in the tobacco gardens at'Motueka at 11 o’clock at. iiiglit with torches, searching, -for caterpillars. “TJiey call me a dictator,” said Mr. Semple, “but if they said that in Germany, they . would find their heads would, be missingt.di If they do riot withdraw. those Offensive indictments, they’ll all g#t Off thb jobs! (Loud applatisb)?' J ? I accept it ps.a challenge to my Government. ? Reformers have always been defied, and sometimes crucified; but when we get it from those whom we have helped, it hurts! The men who will pull their weight and play the game as they should play it,

they’ll find me a friend. I have tried long enough, to know the responsibility of every deed I commit; and all I ask the men on the Public Works to do is to be men —honest, truthful', and conscientious. The national income is not created for the few. I’ve been Snatched from my wife’s side six times, and thrown into prison, io put into force the principles which I’m now following. - If anyone thinks I’m a humarij football to kick when they like, -then I’m not going to let them? I haven’t come to cringe to this group. They have lied and slandered men who have played the game by them. The average pay on other aerodromes is. 15/perday. It used to be only 10/-. From the 15/8 per day men, I’ve got congratulations; but by these men —on the 19/8 per day scale —I have been slandered! They’ll take bahk those offensive resolutions and apologise to my Government, or they’ll go. I want a measure of goodwill and co-operation. Surely, in the name of sweet reason and British justice, I have tried to do my best. That is all.. If I could have done more, then I should have done it. Tira man who pulls his weight has nothing to fear from me.” WITHDRAWAL NOT ENOUGH . NELSON, July 2. Mr. Semple this afternoon, received the following telegram from the Secretary of the Motueka Aerodrome workers: ‘‘As the result of a ballot this morning, this section of the N.Z. W.U., withdraws unreservedly all the resolutions reflecting on the Minister of Public Works and the Government. ’ “But I’m not satisfied with that,” said Mr. Semple, when interviewed. “I demand an apology. If they don t apologise they will know what to expect. I have made a public pronouncement, and do not intend to waver from it.”