Mr. Mason Flogs A Colonel

Northern Advocate, 5 September 1941, Page 3

Mr. Mason Flogs A Colonel

[Per Press Association—Copyright] WELLINGTON, This -Day. Lively discussion was provoked on tire report of the Education Committee presented to the House of Representatives yesterday by the chairman. Mr. Clyde Carr (Govt.-Timaru) on the petition of Colonel T. W. McDonald, a member of the Wellington Education Board, who had alleged in the petition that irregularities had been made in the payment of certain moneys without authority by the board. The committee reported to the House that .it had no recommendation to make. | The Minister for Education (Mr. Mason) said that from the evidence I before the committee this report was j fully justified. j The petitioner had made very reckless charges and had elaborated those charges before the committee with entire recklessness. His attacks had been pushed with peculair vindictiveness. Petitioner appeared to do little to proI mote the cause for which he was elected to the board, but, instead, seemed to devote his time to making baseless charges against those with whom he associated. Opposition Protest Mr. W. J. Poison (Oppo.-Stratford) : You are very severe. Mr. Mason said that although it appeared severe, he was not in a bit saying severe things unnecessarily. Mr. F. W. Doidge < Oppo.-Tauranga) said that while all agreed with the finding of the committee, they could not agree that the petitioner had made his attack with peculiar vindictiveness. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Oppo.-Patea) also stated that he agreed with the finding ol the committee, but he considered the i Minister had been a little rough on the petitioner. Much Ado About Nothing: Mr. Clyde Carr, replying, said the whole thing appeared to be much ado about nothing, and the petitioner indulged in bad tempered carping criticism about a splendid work. It had been a waste of time on the part of the House to give it further consideration. The report was adopted. 1