SHARP REPLY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22517, 7 September 1936, Page 8

SHARP REPLY

MR. SEMPLE AND UNION "DO NOT CARE TWOPENCE" MINISTER'S PRINCIPLES THE PRICE ON NED KELLY " I am doing my best for the people of New Zealand from the North Cape to the Bluff and I won't be a shuttlecock or a tool in the hands of any trade union secretary," said the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, when speaking before an audience of 1500 people at the State Theatre, Symonds Street, last night, about a complaint made by the Auckland Boilermakers' Union to the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, regarding the dismissal of an employee of the Public Works Department. Referring to his fight over 40 years for the objects which he held to be right, Mr. Semple said he had been put in gaol six times for the principles he held. " I also have been bound over to keep the peace for £2500, which is £ISOO more than the Australian Government put on Ned Kelly," he said. " Now I am respected and trusted bv the people of New Zealand." Mistaken Ideas The Minister mentioned the letter from the Boilermakers' Union when discussing the public works legislation of the present Government. "It has been necessary to do some plain speaking at times," he said, " because some people think that all they have to do with a Labour Government in power is to lean on a shovel, watch the clock go round, and draw 17s a day." There had been a few that were hard to deal with, Mr. Semple added later, but he had dealt with them all right. " Now, I have a letter here in my pocket—l think it is from the Auckland Boilermakers' Union—addressed to Mr. Savage, asking him to repudiate me." Mr. Semple explained that it was a complaint concerning "his" action in dismissing a certain public works employee. Actually he did not have anything to do with the dismissal. "However, they did not write to me," he said, " they did not have the decency to do that."

Other Letters Received These individuals, he went on, claimed to be fighting for British liberty and justice, but the manner in which they had attacked him showed that they were "nothing more nor less than a Spanish Inquisition group." " I want to tell them, if any of them are here to-night, that I do not care twopence for them," Mr. Semple said. He added that he had received similar offensive letters from other bodies also. At the conclusion of the address Air. Semple was thanked and congratulated on his public works policy and his vigorous efforts in the cause of humanity.