MINISTER WITHDRAWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20598, 24 June 1930, Page 8

MINISTER WITHDRAWS

POLITICS AT SOCIAL.

SPEAKER'S LONG DISCOURSE.

TIME-LIMIT NOT HEEDED.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. *7ELSON. Monday. In order that there should be ample time for dancing before midnight on Saturday it was arranged that the addresses at the annual social and reunion of the Post and Telegraph officials at Nelson should nob exceed five minutes. That course was followed by tho chairman, Mr.' Pinkham, the Minister of Education, Hon. H. Atmore, and others, until the time came for Mr. J. H. McKenzio, Dominion secretary to tho Post and Telegraph Association, to reply to the toast of tho association. After remarking that he was "sorry to strike a discordant note," Mr. McKenzia spoke for about three-quarters of an hour on politics and departmental matters. Incidentally ho attacked the Government and Parliament. When Mr. McKenzie had finished Mr. Atmore rose. Explaining that ho had a long way to go that night, and that ho must soon leave, the Minister said he had just been through an experience that was unique in his public life. Ho had been pleased to accept the invitation to be a guest that evening at a social reunion, and he quite understood the good reason for the speakers being given a time-limit. After that arrangement had been macje, however, he had been compelled to listen for three-quarters of an hour, to wljat was largely a long tirade against tho Government. It was putting Ministers of tho Crown in an invidious position and making it difficult, if not impossible, for them to attend social functions of the kind, if they, or other guests, were to be subjected to such extreme discourtesy. Mr. Atmore t,hen left the gathering.