MR THEODORE WILL NOT SIT IN HOUSE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19118, 10 July 1930, Page 1

MR THEODORE WILL NOT SIT IN HOUSE.

IS TO REMAIN AWAY UNTIL HE CLEARS NAME. (United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received July 10, 9.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, July 10. Mr E. G. Theodore announces that he is taking no further part in the Fedgral Parliament until he clears his name. He will therefore remain away pending the Queensland Government’s decision on the subject of its next move. The daily Press in Sydney and Melbourne expresses the view that Mr Theodore was unwise in describing Mr Justice Campbell as a political hireling, and insist that the Queensland Government should take definite action along the lines suggested by him. The official Labour organ in Sydney says that there is only one way —Mr Theodore must go into the wit-ness-box and give evidence on oath. A Brisbane message says that the solicitors who appeared for Messrs M’Cormack, Goddard and Reid at the Mungana inquiry have declared that there is no foundation for Mr Theodore's statement in the House of Representatives yesterday that they, with Mr Theodore’s counsel, had in any way criticised the finding of the Royal Commissioner, or had described it as scandalous. They added that Mr Theodore had been entirely misinformed. At Canberra yesterday, Mr Theodore corrected the statement he made in the House on Tuesday. He said that his statement was based on a telephone message which he was now convinced was incorrect. A cablegram published yesterday said that, when Mr Theodore made his statement in the House, he read a letter received that day from the solicitors and counsel before the Mungana Commission. This stated; “The Commissioner’s finding is absolutely unjust and biased. There is no oral evidence to connect Mr Theodore in any way with the charges. We regard it as a scandalous decision, based merely on ! assumption and inference.”