MENACING LETTERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 290, 8 December 1939, Page 8

MENACING LETTERS

MINISTERS LIFE THREATENED HON. R SEMPLE SPEAKS > OUT COMMUNIST PARTI PROPAGANDA m CHRISTCHURCH. Dec. 7. • Threats to his life and ol damage 'to his propertv have been made J against the Mm’., W of Public Woiks, , Hon. R. Scmp l Disclosures of the • actions and 1 against him w ere na to-dny . Semple man interview with Press. in which he -et out to justify his campaign against “They talk about mv violent attacks on them." exclaimed Mr. Semple. Attacks upon myself have been not only violent, but. in some cases, criminal I have let them pass without retalia|t ion. because I have bigger things to do. I have scores of anonymous letters .Mjnt to my home threatening my • life and threatening to burn my home down. Emery powder was put into a crank case and the feed supply of m ! private motor-car. and sugar was pu* in the benzine tank. Even now. I have to telephone the Kilbirnie police when Mrs. Semple and I leave, to ask them to keep an eye on my home. I have been threatened on many occasions by anonymous letters, and my Wife has received letters of a similar llvpe. telling her th<;t she would be a widow before long. I have my own opinion where these documents and i cowardly threats came from, because this vendetta against me began at a time when I was purging the ranks of public works of that type of men. and now the Party and their crowd have the audacity to : charge m? with making violent and unprovoked attacks on them. From supporters of the Communist | Party, said the Minister, he had had over the Public Works Department the Communists did their damndest .Thcv refused to work and tried to (persuade others not to work. Throughthc Dominion they carried out vile and criminal propaganda on jobs, until he cleaned them out. If he had not , done so progress would have been impossible. He had not formerly talked ; publicly about their attacks on him.’ since he had condemned their loafing 1 an.i treachery to prevent th** smooth they squealed because he attacked it was well that the public I > t"I. the ?. i;sod Lavcock made a ■statement to Detective - Sergeant their meeting in the city until they* ; bottle into a glass. He told me i f ■ whisky before taking the poison, bu* ) to pul him off giving me the poison.; - Did Not Lnsr Consciousness

I d : not lose < on-ciousness." Mrs. ;that I * trving to cheat him. He -Turk me about the face. He then my ■ rist. I di I not want him to do this. He caught mo by the left arm I and rut my wrist. I remember him fusing a razor blade on my* wrist a ■ " I stated: "Darling Dave. When you receive this I shall be miles away from {Auckland, perhap, dead. Dear Frank month-. Ho told Rita and has given me no option but to go away, as he threatens to kill h°r and himself. I .can’t fare that, so I must go with Dave. I have only loved you ana ■ i David thcr son> in my life, and wo have had 15 of the happiest year* together. Think of that and try no'J to miss me too much. Frank seems to be mad. He w ill not listen to any | reason. You know I have never 1 Wanted any man's love. It has always i come my easy going way. I have been j so happy, if only this tragedy hadn’t) Discovery of Dead Woman dence of visiting Laurie’s home on November 6. when Mrs. Laurie was found dead with her head lying on a cushion near the gas stove, five jets of which were turfted full on. Near { the body, he said, he found two bank hooks, in one of which there was £l3 in notes. One book was in her own * name and the other in the names of I her husband and herself. He also I found a note which stated. “I leave | everything I possess, personal and i otherwise, to my sister and my*; brother, to be divided equally. Please rremat” me. This Is the only way. Ixive to all. forgive me. Rita Laurie." committed for trial. Both counsel applied for bail. It was granted to Mrs. Laycock in a sum of £250, with a surety for £250. a condition being that she stayed with her mother. In refusing Laurie bail, the magistrate said there were peculiar features about the case which made it undesirable that both accused shout'd be released.