TERMS RESENTED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19701, 5 August 1938, Page 5

TERMS RESENTED

CRITICISM OF LABOUR SUGGESTED INTENTIONS WARNING TO ELECTORS COMPLAINT IN THE HOUSE {Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Protesting strongly against the tactics used by the Government's opponents in the spread of propaganda, Mr. F. W. Schramm (Labour, Auckland East) called on the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, in the House last night to stop this form of electioneering in the interests of his own party.

Mr. Schamm described statements about the Government alleged to have been made by a lady speaker for the National Party at a Taranaki meeting and suggested that this type of organiser should be called off if bad feeling was not to prevail during the coming campaign. Mr. Schramm stated that he had an account of a meeting of women addressed by a lady on behalf of the National Party, the report being supported by declarations. He said he had to voice his protest against such tactics as this vicious sort of propaganda, because it was not an isolated instance. Mr. Schramm said that, referring to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J., Savage, this lady had said that she did not like the man. He was not sincere. Mr. Speaker: Order. Any remarks included in a quotation must be Parliamentary and I do not regard that as a Parliamentary expression regarding a member of this House. "Thank you, Mr. Speaker," replied Mr. Schramm. "I am glad it is not Parliamentary." "Just the Same as Russia" His next quotation from the lady's speech was: "If Labour went in again •New Zealand would be just the same as Russia'as we women would be nothing but goods and chattels and the men could do as they liked." Another statement was that Russia had gone back to capitalism, but they were saying nothing about it. She also stated that Labour members were not Christian as 25 per cent would not take the oath. This, declared Mr. Schramm, was a bad form of criticism, accusing members of the Labour Party of being infidels. He pointed out the legal rights of persons having conscientious objections to .take affirmation instead of the usual oath. This was done by a former Reform Minister, Sir Alexander Young, and by the late Sir Robert Stout, who always made an affirmation. The people were entitled to be warned against paid organisers going from door to door making this bad form of criticism and he hoped the women cf this country would take notice of it. '"."",. . Desertion of Wives The-lady at ■ the Taranaki meeting had gone further and had said: "The Labour Party is encouraging men to desert their wives and families by introducing the deserted wives' pension and we women are not safe when they are in power." Mr. Schramm commented that he could challenge ■anyone to say these statements were hot made, as he had proof supported by declarations. The Hon. H. T. Armstrong: Has the member got the lady's name? Mr. Schramm: Yes, but it would not be fair to state it. ' Her statement regarding the deserted wives' pension was, he declared, absolutely false. The reason it was introduced was because many women were being left with children to support. Mr. R. McKeen (Lab., Wellington South): Four thousand of them. Mr. Schramm went on to state that husbands disappeared and he could not forgive the man who would leave his children to starve, no matter what complaint he had against his wife. The Labour Party thought they should get help and it put them in the same position as widows, while at the same time the police-became extra vigilant in watching for deserting husbands and they caught many. The Hon. P. Fraser (Minister in Charge of Police): Special instructions were given that they must be more vigilant than ever. Mr. Schramm: And before the pensions were given the'wife had to take proceedings for desertion. A warrant had to be issued for the husband's arrest and it had to be proved that he could not be found. Mr. C. L. Carr (Lab. Tirnaru): Was this lady lecturer the wife of a member of Parliament?

Mr. W. A. Bodkin (Nat, Central Otago): She certainly was not. Mr. Speaker: May I suggest that the hon. member should not reply to that question? Mr. Schramm: I did not intend to reply. Mr. Bodkin; It should be denied. "The real crux of the crisis," continued Mr. Schramm, "is her statement that women were not safe when they are in power. Are we despoiiers of women?" Mr. Speaker again intervened, suggesting that the member should not press this point too far by suggesting what the words implied. Mr. Schramm: I bow to your ruling and say a hidden meaning conveys a bad impression. lam sorry indeed that a lady should use such expressions. I look on many members on the other side as friends and I say that every effort should be made by the National Party to curb these women speakers who lecture at meetings and go round from door to door. Mr. Schramm added that such tactics were never employed when the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates or the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward were Prime Ministers, while the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey would have scorned them. Mr. Carr: How have the mighty fallen? Mr. Schramm: I appeal to the Leader of the Opposition, in the name of all that is right and proper, to stop this form of propaganda in his own interest. The Hon. J. G. Cobbe (Nat., Orowa), who was sitting in Mr. Hamilton's seat as the Opposition leader was absent, replied: "What are we to do? We are not responsible for that." Mr. Schramm retorted that a party which employed persons was responsible for their actions. This lady* had also said that at the next election the Labour Party was going to earmark the votes and if Labour went in again they would look up the %'otes and if civil servants voted against them they would get dismissed. Pie concluded that this sort of propaganda was a logical outcome ot the National Party's circular to speakers, advising them to brand Labour candidates as fakirs, hypocrites, and fools. Instead of concentrating their attention on remarks of the Minister of Public Works, the Opposition party should call in these women. When Mr. Schramm concluded Mr. Speaker made some general observations on Parliamentary procedure relating to the mention of outside persons. He quoted the rulings of prevt. us speakers that when actions ox outside persons were criticised, it should be in temperate, moderate language and as the proceedings were now broadcast the propriety of criticising, in decorous and moderate language, persons who were outside and who had no Opportunity of 'reply came into sharper ■ outline in view of the tremendous extension, through broadcasting, of what was spoken. Mr. Fraser. who was the acting leader of the House, rose to a point of order suggesting that there might be a possibility of misunderstanding ot this statement as being applied to the member for Auckland East. "It would," he said, "almost seem to be a censure on the member." "I would remind the Minister." replied the Hon. W. E. Barnard, from the chair, "that at. the outset I mentioned that I made the statement in entire detachment from the speech." Mr. Fraser submitted that there was a possibility of misunderstanding and asked Mr. Speaker whether any reference to Mr. Schramm was intended in his remarks. Mr. Speaker, answered that, in his original remarks and further explanation, he had answered that point. "1 congratulate the member for Auckland East on the moderate and decorous way in which he couched his reference to unfair criticism against the Labour Party," was the opening statement of 'the next Labour sneaker. Mr. J. A. Lee, the UnderSecretary for Housing.