QUESTION OF LOYALTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16996, 1 November 1918, Page 4

QUESTION OF LOYALTY.

MINISTER'S REMARKS RESENTED. [BY telegraph. —SPECIAL CORRESVOXDFN'T.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. Matters affecting the question of the loyalty of & section of the people of the Dominion wens touched on by the Hon. G. W. Russell in the coarse of his speech on the Addiess-in-Reply. He said th.'it he did not regard the elections for Grey and Wellington Central as accurately representing the feeling of the people. The time would come when a general election would take place, and when that time came he was confident that the men returned would be those marked by loysity. The number of men returned whose loyalty was doubtful would be numbered on the fingers of on* hand, and that was precisely the position in the House to-day. Mr. McCombs (LytWton) raised a point of order. The Minister had said that there was a disloyal grown in the House. The Speaker ruled that the Minister had not reflected on any particular member of tho House. Mr. Russell i I am pleased to find that the member for Lvttelton is sensitive on the point. It indicates a lurking feeling that will become acute before next election. lam sure the member will not be prepared to stand as a candidate for Parliament, and declare anything in the nature of sentiments of disloyalty to the Crown or Empire. It is only to those whose loyalty is doubtful that my remarks apply.