Mr Walding Angry About ‘truth’ Transvestite... (Press, 22 June 1977)

On 22 June 1977, former Palmerston North MP J.A. Walding expressed his anger over a story published in the newspaper "Truth," which suggested he had associated with transvestites. Walding, who was in Moscow on a business trip, stated that he would be “damned annoyed” if his family or friends were embarrassed by any implications made by the publication. The controversy began after an article in "Truth" claimed that a senior Auckland detective was under investigation for allegedly encouraging a transvestite to sit with Walding in a nightclub called the Crypt. According to the report, a transvestite claimed to have been “set up” by that detective, and a photographer attempted to capture an image of Walding at the club, but his film was reportedly confiscated. Walding defended himself, describing the incident as ridiculous. He recounted that he had entered the nightclub on a whim, intending to grab a meal and a drink. While there, two women he had never met approached him to sit at his table. He agreed, thinking it was a normal social interaction. Later, a man took a photograph of Walding with the two women, which sparked some discontent among nearby patrons. Walding commented that he had no objection to being photographed unexpectedly, dismissing any sinister implications associated with the encounter. He noted that one of the women later informed him that the film had been confiscated, which he remarked was of no concern to him. The woman claimed he had been set up, but Walding took this lightly and left the club to return to his daughter’s home, where he faced a bit of a reprimand for being late. Walding firmly challenged anyone to provide evidence that he had ever knowingly associated with transvestites, insisting he would take legal action if any insinuations continued. Additionally, he received support from his close friend and Palmerston North lawyer, I. de Cleene, who deemed any suggestions of Walding associating with transvestites or homosexuals as "ludicrous." De Cleene further stated that Walding’s late arrival for a meal was not surprising given his spontaneous nature and unfamiliarity with the club. Overall, Walding’s response highlighted his indignation regarding the publication's insinuations and underscored his commitment to maintaining his reputation against unfounded allegations.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand