"REPEAT THOSE WORDS IN PUBLIC”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 189, 12 August 1938, Page 8

"REPEAT THOSE WORDS IN PUBLIC”

MRS. E. L. STONE’S CHALLENGE LETTER TO HON. R. SEMPLE QUESTION OF THE MARRIAGE TIE [Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, Aug. 11. Following a reply by the Minister, in which he stated he was unable to waive Parliamentary privilege and allow her to issue a libel suit concerning the words used by him in the House of Representatives on Thursday, July 28, Mrs. E. L. Stone, in a further letter to the Hon. R. Semple, suggests that he repeat the words complained of on the public platform and she also offers to pay any damages awarded to the Society for Protection of Women and Children. The text of the letter is as follows: - Wellington, 77 Roxburgh Street, August 11, 1938. Hon. R. Semple, Parliament Buildings. Dear Sir, —“I have consulted a lawyer, as suggested by you. He tells me there is nothing to prevent you agreeing to waive your Parliamentary privilege in a suit for slander. He also says that if you find any difficulty about that all you need do is repeat the words complained of upon the public platform. From your place of shelter in the House you bravely said that you would repeat them on every platform in New Zealand. Since you returned to Wellington you have spoken at Ngaio and the Hutt without doing so, and last night you refused to answer a question relating to the matter. Although you have thus run away from both your promise and your charge, you now make matters worse by refusing to apologise and by seeking to justify your attack. Surely you can plead ‘justification’ in a Court of law if you really feel you were justified. Are you afraid of the Court’s decision; or is it that you do not want me to have any money from you? Will it help you if I agree to pay any damages awarded against you to the Society For Protection of Women and Children? Justification for what I said is contained in a book on socialism with a preface by A. J. Balfour, which cites as authorities Robert Bletehford, Bernard Shaw. H. G. Wells, Mrs. Snowden and others. All I did was to quote what those people have said about the marriage tie under socialism. That is my justification but apparently you are not prepared to let any Court adjudicate on. the justification for your attack on me. In my earlier letter I asked you to show the public that Parliament has not become a castle for cowards. What have you shown them? Yours faithfully, E. L. Stone.