HON. R. SEMPLE

Grey River Argus, 5 March 1937, Page 2

HON. R. SEMPLE

And Communist Leaflets AN AUCKLAND UNION RESENTFUL. n (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 3. Auckland Builders’ General and other Labourers’ Union, at a meeting held last evening, passed a resolution which states: “This union views with concern .the utterances of Mr Semple, in dictating to workers m Public Works camps the classes of literature they shall read and discuss in their social halls, restricting particularly such matter that is of an advanced radical nature. We consider such an attitude to be an attack on the democratic .rights of freedom of speeen and assembly, one of the basic pnneiples of Labour. Further, Mr Semple does not appear to be consistent as he claims for himself the right to use whatever language he chooses m expressing freely his own opinions, whilst at the .same time denying that right to the rank and file of the workers, who are the real Labour movement in this country. These frequent outbursts of Mr Semple we consider to be a danger to the unity of Labour’s, forces, and are typical of a Fascist demagogue. We call upon the Labour Movement, and the Government to exercise disciplinary measures against any of its members who, by such statements, are bringing discredit and disunity to Labour’s ranks.”