MOSCOW VOICE DROWNED

Taranaki Daily News, 22 November 1930, Page 6

MOSCOW VOICE DROWNED

COMMUNIST’S SHORT SHRIFT LABOUR IVEPUTATipN- ES’CIPENT. ASSURANCE OF LOYALTY GIVEN. By Telegraph.—Press Association. . Wellington, Last Night, An interjecting Communist received short shrift at the hands of a. deputation of unemployed that waited upon throe Cabinet Ministers to-day. Tljere were about 250 men in the large supper room in tfid old wing of Parliament House, and although it was made clear that many of them were ip extreme' poverty they gave a courteous hearing to the Government representatives and were appreciative of the difficulties to be faced in coping with the situation. It was shoAvn that the deputation to a man was not willing to subscribe to the Communistic attitude which one member of that party tried to intrude when the Minister of Public Works was speaking, The Minister said he had been able that morning to arrange to place 200 men at Nelson and Stratford, and that that work would keep them in jobs for from four to six months.

“At what rates of pay?” asked a mpn sitting near the front. “At the ordinary rates,” the Minister replied. , ), “Yes, but at standard rates, br ‘scab’ relief rates?” the interjeetor asked. “We pay no ‘scab 5 relief rates,” the Minister replied, emphatically. Mr. R. Semple, who had introduced the deputation, and was was accompanied by Wellington Labour members of Parliament, stepped to the table. “I want you to understand, sir,” he said to the Minister, “that the offensive suggestions of that kind do not represent the voice of the men here to-day; that is the voice of Moscow.” ■ , . The remark was greeted by loud and prolonged applause, which effectively prevented the interjeetor from speaking for some time, but when it subsided man next to him said: “You do not like the Moscow whip, Mr. Semple.” Mr. Semple later returned to the attack and 'received the unqualified support of those who were seeking the Government’s help. In thanking the Ministers for their attentive bearing, he also thanked the deputation for ’the manner in which its members conducted themselves. He said they ’all appreciated the task with which the Government was faced and had not brought the deputation in any dictatorial attitude. (Hear! hear!) It was their aim to seek»work for those who would work, and he said they had no time for the 7 man who had typified his type with a sneering remark when the Minister was speaking, . , '

“We, do not represent the sneering type,” Mr. Semple said. “We represent the serious-minded in this city, and we are prepared to join with any Government or institution, not to wreck or smash, but to build (applause), that represents the sentiments and. principles that spring from the heart of the British subject, and not instructions sent from some country by spine trajtpr who attempts to exploit the people of Zealand, These men here are builders, not wreckers.”

Members of the deputation ' showed their support for the views expressed by loud applause. . •