MR SAMUEL ANGRY

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 30 August 1929, Page 9

MR SAMUEL ANGRY

CHARGE AGAINST MR. ATMORE. ALLEGATIONS OF SLANDER. PARILIAMENTARY PRIYI LEGE IN QUESTION.

(By Telegraph—Special to the Star.) WELLINGTON, August 39. There was an exciting opening do Parliament to-day. “I have been slandered by the Minister of Education,’.’ declared Mr. Samuel (Thames) immediately the sitting opened. He stated that after last nignts sotting Mr. Atmore passed lum in the lobby ancl, in response t.o a jocular remark, Mr. Atmore said to nim, “He would telf the people something about me in Egypt.” Tnis declared All - . Samuel was a direct reflection on his military career, a silander by the Alinister of Education, which he would ask the House to take up. Has military career and medical record wa.s open to anybody to inspect and the Minister of Justice oouild get it at any time. “I maintain that if one is going

to be open to insult in tile Lobby of this House by any other member, this Parliament will soon become a place unfit to live in.” He asked l Parliament Lo investigate the imputation, which, bad it been made outside, lie would 1 have known wiiat t.o do. He moved that a breach of privilege had been 1 committed by the Minister of Education. “1 am surprised and amused,” declared Mr. Atmore, “to hear the member for Thames make a complaint. He, who above all others, made imputations and last night accused me of literary piracy! When I was going outside last evening lie was standing with the Leader of tlie Opposition and several other members and I said, “hello Samuel,” ancl that member replied, ‘.don’t ibe too hard on me when you reply.’ Chaff ingly, I said, “I Shall tell you something about Egypt.’” Why, he asked, should Mr. Samuel consider he had been slandered? “If there was anything about his time in Egypt that, was discreditable I did not say so, ’ eaicl Air. Atmore. Mr. Martin: It may have been the way you said it. Air. Atmore: It will take more than the member for Thames 1 to frighten me, inside or outside the House. This is simply a party trick. If he is slan-( dered, Ihe knows something about what i happened in Egypt which I don’t know. Mr. Samuel (angrily) : Who said 1 ‘hear, hear’ ’; The Alinister of Education added that it was fare-dial to use the forms of the House to damage him. He was asked what it meant. The word “Egypt” was used in a chaffing sense. Mr. Holland, Labour Leader, hoped that the House would not allow the wrangle to develop. The Prime Alinister advised dropping tlie. question ill view of Mr. Atmore s explanation. It wa.s a chaffing remark. There was general discussion on procedure and Air. Alason moved to adjourn the debate till Tuesday'. Mr Coates saiiid that all that was re-|

quill triCl \Y cifo DlLtlD I>ll . Atmore SulOU'llt assure the House fie implied nothing, sinister. Air. Cbates added that everyone knew that Air. Samuel’s military record in Egypt was one that any might be proud of. Air. Waite, who shares an apartment with Air. Samuel, said that the member for Thames had received certain letters within the past fortnight and there appeared to be a campaign. The Alinister could not, of course, .be .connected with those letters, but the matter should ibe cleared up immediately. Air. Samuel said that he was quite prepared that the matter should stand over till Tuesday so that the whole matter could be thoroughly ventilated and the House passed Mr. Mason’s motion without division.