ELECTION LITERATURE

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 24 September 1925, Page 5

ELECTION LITERATURE

A PATEA EPISODE.

A CHARGE OIECtFLATED.

BUT NOT THE WITHDRAWAL.

j'UOM OUR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER,, WELLINGTON, Sept. 23.“A -matter affecting my personal honour and integrity,” was the intrq-, duction by Sir James Parr to an explanation which he asked permission to give in the House of Representatives to-day. He reminded the House of- charges" made by the member; Tor. Fate a. tfia-t a Minister was interested, financially in land near a railway staway station which' was being built on the Henderson line, and the fact that Mr. Corrigan, after the lapse of a month, unreservedly withdrew the charge, stating that on inquiry he had found it to be incorrect. Yesterday, however, continued the Minister; he had discovered that copies of. the speech containing this charge were be_ in ; circulated (by 'Mr. Corrigan to o.e-rv householder in Patea, the imprint showing that- 1500 had been printed. There was not a single word in this particular document to the effect that- the charges made .were immediately denied, and that they were aftei waids wit-hdrawn.

“I suggest to the. member for Patea that it is not playing the game,” continued Sir James Parr, “and .1 suggest that he should at once, in common decency and fairness to mysellf and the Government, give, the same publicity to my denial and his withdrawal. I consider he lias been, so far from l playing the game that he has been unfair to me and grossly unjust. There can be ho more vile slander against a public man than accusing him of using his public position to put public money into .his own pocket. That is the charge being made in Patea, after the member in tliis House, when forced at the point. of the bayonet to withdraw it, did so unreservedly.” Mr. Corrigan replied that he was sorry that anything; of the sort; had been done. There was never any intention of reflecting on the Minister. He merely had the copies of , the speech printed. (Smiles.) ““Certainly on every platform in my electorate I will withdraw-the charge,” he added. “I did not intern! to hurt the hon. gentleman at all, and the whole of the Patea electorate knows that the charge -was withdrawn. I am sorry that the hon. gentleman should take up this stand. However, I will do my best to see that any injustice done is righted.” • > i Sir James Parr: “I suggest that you send to every householder the withdrawal of your charges.” ’ ;