UNFAIR METHODS OF CONTROVERSY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1136, 25 May 1911, Page 7

UNFAIR METHODS OF CONTROVERSY.

. « EXPOSED BY MR. MASS EYREPLY TO MR. FOWLDS. THE SINGLE TAX AND WHAT IT MEANS. "I have just a few words to say in reply lo tho latest outpourings of the Hon. G. Fowlds," said Mr. Massey lo a representative of The Dominion ycslcrday, referring to a slutement of the Minister for Education published in the "New Zealand Times" yesterday. "He takes out four lines of my speech,' on tho Financial Statement aiid repeats them without tho context, so giving my opinion a twist which was never intended by me. This form of misrepresentationis unfortunately customary with Ministers, and it is a species of politics that! one would imagine would not be indulged in by any fair-minded politician. What Single Tax Mean*. "Mr. Fowlds repeals what he said at Pukekohe in regard lo his singk-tax proposals, and he goes on to say that suchproposals would give a largo reduction' in tho taxation which the small settlors of New Zealand at present are paying. With his usual want of candour tha single-tax member of the Ministry oniita to tell tho people' whom ho addressed 1 that whilst there might be a slight.reduction in the amount of the taxation to bo paid by tho small settler, the capital value of his land would go. Men who havo given'their life to providing a home for themselves and their families will appreciate this point—and that is what is meant' by single tax, viz., the selling value of the laud is intended to be appropriated by the State. So far I havo been interested lo notice that there has been no disavowal of Mr. Fowlds's single- . tax policy from any of his colleagues, and we may take it that the Government have at last found a policy. A Pledge, "There is just one other point worth' noticing—and 1 may say that in the future I propose to deal with Mr. Fowldsonly on the platform. Hu refers to my vote on the Advances to Settlers Bill of '94. Again he has forgotten to tell' the public that I have supported every Advances to Settlers Bill sinco that date But at that time I. was absolutely pledged on the platform 1 at tho previous election to oppose everything in the way of borrowing. That pledge I kept, and I 1 have been rewarded for keeping my pledges ever since by being returned to Parliament to light tho cause to which.' I have given my services. "Tho pledge r gave (it is taken from a circular addressed to the electors at that time) was as follows:—'I am opposed to any increase of tho ■ Public Debt, and think the timo has arrived when our expenditure should 1)0 kept within our income.' . , "That," said Mr. Masscy, "was my pint, form, and I adhered to it during tho term of • that Parliament. I may say, by way of explanation, that, at that tim< I advocated making Post Office Savings Bank funds available for the purpose ol loans to settlers, as I thought then, nud think so still, that it would be very much better to invest the savings of tha Jieoplc with those on the land of our own country. Advances to Workers. "But what has Mr. Fowlds got to say, to this: In 1900 1 moved tho following clause:—'That a loan is required for the erection of buildings on urban and suburban laud which is not subject to anv encumbrance, and the cost of the erection 'not exceeding MW on the whole, and not exceeding tour times the value of .tho'iland) may, in the discretion of tlio board, 1m) advanced in instalment* ns the work of erection proceeds.' When I proposed that Mr. Fowlds voted against it. 1 know, of course, that afterwards the Government brought down a similar proposal, which is now tho Advances to Workers Act, but there is no getting away from the fact I havo that when it was moved by myself Mr. Fowlds went into the lobby against it. "I have thought it necessary to straight. en up the two or three points I have referred to, but' lam quite convinced that thr public of this country are beginning to realise that in the policy of the present government, .self-interest—tho interest of individuals and of party-comes first every time. Very little consideration m given to the interest of the country. The Campaign. "So far as our political campaign is concerned, I have already addressed' twentv-nino meetings iu different parts of the Dominion. 1 have been enthusiastically received in' every part 1 have visited.. 1 havo fully another dozen meetings to address before the House meets. I am quite satisfied that moro interest wiU. )» taken in the coming elections than has been tho caso for many years, and il it were not for tho wholesale bribery that is going on-the attempt that is being mado to bribe peoplo with their own moneyit would bo very easy to predict tho result. f am glad to b© able to say that I havo come acres many instances where oot!i_ local bodies nud private individuals have refused to sell their political principles for tho prospect- of public expenditure. I am no prophet or. the son of a prophet, but I will simply say Hint 1 nra confidentthe Government aro going to lose a num. ber of seats at tho coming election. •!' believe, epfaking generally, that; tho dectors will .vote for men ot sound political principles, nad men who are prepared'to stand by their principles rather than, support those whoso only policy is to rtv tain the position they at present occupy. To-night Mr. Massey speaks nt Waimatc, and to-niorrow night nt Oaniaru. He then goes to liiverion. Invercargill, and, afterwards, nddresses meetings in Canterbury. Later on he will speak at Wellington and Auckland. ■' >- -' .' ■■«