CRITICS WELCOME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23060, 10 June 1938, Page 14

CRITICS WELCOME

Ml?'. SEMPEE'S VIEW LONELY WITHOUT THEM MISSES BEING CALLED NAMES [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] MASTEKTON, Thursday • The Minister of Public Works and Transport, tho Hon. 11. Semple, addressed a packed house last night and received an Excellent hearing. . For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" was sung at the end of the meeting.

"Wo have been called dreamers, visionaries, revolutionaries, Bolsheviks, Communists and all the rest, until we do not know what we are going to be called next," observed Mr. Semple, when defending the policy of the Labour Government. "But wo do not mind; in fact, when they knock off calling me names I get lonely." Tho Government, continued Mr. Semple, did not object to rational criticism. "I do not object to rational criticism," ho continued. I welcome it, but there is a difference between clean and honourable criticism and slander. I have never shrunk from criticism. I can take it, and I can give it, too. I can also hit hard and often. Defaming the people and attributing foul motives to them never got a nation out of trouble. "It is only everyone pulling their weight and fitting in somehow and somewhere into the scheme of things that puts nations on tho road to security and prosperity,'' stated the Minister. "Healthy, rational, reasonable and constructive criticism is absolutely necessary in tho public life or any country."