THE BOYCOTT:

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1243, 27 September 1911, Page 6

THE BOYCOTT:

PUBLIC MONEY AND PARTY GAIN. MR. MASSEY PROTESTS. THE PREMIER'S IMAGINATION. Mr. Massey took an opportunity in Parliament yesterday of commenting upon this way in which the Ward Administration distributed Government advertising during the year ended March 31, 1911. He remarked that a return had been laid upon tho tablo of the House that afternoon from which lid had taken out three sets of figures which he wanted to put on record for tho benefit of members and of tho pcoplo of t'ho country. Ho dealt first witli the Dannevirke papers. During the year mentioned the "Advocate," a Government paper, had received £65 ISs. 4d. from the Government for advertising. ■ Tho "Evening News" during the same period received just 10s. Gd. Ho need hardly add that the "Evening News" was a paper that took the Opposition side in politics.

Tho Prime Minister: Oh, let us get on with the business. Mr. Massey remarked that plainly the Daunovirke "Evening News" had been punished for criticising Hie Government. In Wellington the "New Zealand Times" had received J!575 12s. for Government advertising. He. thought the "New Zealand Times" supported the Government. Members: No!

Mr. Ma.ssey: I think it is practically owned by members of (he Government'. I don't think it will bo disputed that members of the Government arc largo shareholders in the "New Zealand Times." Sir Joseph Ward: We have a perfect right to be shareholders in it. Mi. Masseys And what does TnE Dominion receive? Mr. Ngata: And what does the "Post" receive? Mr. Wilford: You will probably find t'hat it gets more than the' "Times." Mr. Massey said the lion, gentleman could not suggest that the "Post" was an Opposition paper. Ho denied this absolutely. He had just been informed that the "Post" last year had received «CS9G. Rut here was a paper (the "New Zealand Times"), an out-and-out Government paper, practically owned by members of the Government, receiving .£575. while Tnn Domin'ion received ,£9. This was no doubt lx'caiiste Tire Dominion criticised the .Government occasionally. Ho thought that it did the country a great deal ot good by its criticism of the Government, and it received .£9 Mr. liussell: Too mucii! Continuing, Mr. Jlnssey stated that, in Oamaru, the "JleiV which supported the Government, and was owned by a prominent politician, got .£llO 17s. 9d. for advertising Unt jvov. The other Oamaru paper, the "North Otago Times," received in the same period £\ 10s. for advertising. It was a ca.se of j>llo 17s. Sd. for the Government paper and 30s. for the Opposition paper. Personally he had not a copper of financial interest in any of the papers he had named. He referred to them simply as an indication of how tho Government expended the money of tho people, of the country, for which they were trustees.

Mr. Hogan stated that the "Wangamii Chronicle" got more last year in advertising than the "Herald," which was a Government, paper. Mr. lU&'soy said the amount of difference was 305., and no doubt the "Chronicle" had a bigger circulation than the "Herald." He was dealing with a serious principle, namely, whether public money should bo expended for party purposes. This was what the Government woi« doing, and he took this opportunity, as a representative of the pojple, ot protesting against anything of the sort. Mr. W. f. Jennings (Tanmarunu!) suggested that advertisements in a Government publication might replace adverti.semeU'ts in newspapers. Tho Pri ne Minister commenced hit reply by asking Mr. Massey whether he knew that "that paper," which was pubr lisliod in Wellington, was nut an Opposition paper. It had announced itself that it was an Independent paper. It screeched itselt to deatli in tho interests of tho lion, gcntli-rnan, but surely ho wo'ild see that the ground was to a very largo extent cut from under his feet T'n« paper ho had mentioned was Independent, and the "Post" was an Independent paper SiiToly the lion, gentleman did not suggest ttiat the Government should wasfe money on two Independent papers? The lender of tho Opposition had besi good enough to say that. members of the Government were the principal ov ners of the "W-w Zealand Times." The truth was that swno time ago ''the monty-bags cf tho Opposition" thought they were g6ii;g tj'*-i ! f0 away from the people of Wellington the "New Zealand Times." Tiiey met in ii certain house —tho moneybags, chiefly largo Handed proprietors, ivho wers the principal owners of The Itoiiixiox. They tried to purchase the "Times" and take jt right out of tho position it was now in—not that of a paper that was ''slobbering" the' Government, nothing of the kind had ever been suggested of the "New Zealand Times." The money-bags of tho Opposition, on the occasion he had referred to, llio landed proprietors with ono or two of tho wealthy men of Wellington endeavoured to collar the paper that had bean here for nic.ny, many years. They tried to buy it outright, and turn it into a paper to support the hon. gentleman and his party. Mr. Massey: When was that? Tho Priino Minister: About four years ago. Mr. Massoy: It is strange that I never lenciv anything about it. Tho Prime Minister: I know all about it. A member: You have got the imagination. Go on! The Prime Minister said they had tried actually to buy this paper, and ■ turn it into a Conservative paper, and they failed. They then put up their money and established a political paper here to preserve their interests, because tho policy of tho Government was against largo landed proprietors. It had attacked tho policy of the Government ever since, and it was against everything in this country which was inimical to tho interests of large landed proprietors. Mr. Massey: You have plenty of them supporting you and making contributions. Tho Prime Minister: That is not so. I have never had a contribution from a large landed proprietor. Mr. Massey. Your fighting fund has. Tho Prime Minister expressed his willingness to tell the hon. gentleman all about fighting funds, including his own. Mr. Massey: You may know more about the Opposition fund than I do; it is very small!

The Prime Minister continued that thero wero 83 papers in this country which were not on the Government list for advertising. Did the lion, gentleman say that, they'should all be put on? Jlr. Masscy: I say you should spend the money irrespective o£ party interests. The Prime .Minister stated that a majority of the 83 papers supported the Government. Since July, 1(108, not a singlo paper had been put on (ho list for advertising, for the reason Hint the amount aununlly spent was as much as the country was entitled to devote to this purpose. The North Otago "Times" had not been put upon the list because it had a small circulation. As to UiC'Dannevirko "News," it was a paper that had tried to force, itself upon the country in the interest of one man. Tho Leader of tho Opposition urged that a large sum of money should bo spent upon n paper of this kind. Tf the Government did the same to a Government paper in similar circumstances, it would bo called Tammanyism of the worst kind. As to Wellington, the "Post" was an Opposition paper. It supported the leading freeholders of the Opposition paper. Then the lion, gentleman had the a»<lacity to stand up and guy it was a Government paper. Mr. Massfy: Xo. Independent. Sir Joseph Ward said tin- Government paper got iSTj and the Opposition paper J36. :\"ow tho GovcrmiK'v.t was askeil to spend another .£SOO or .CGOO a year. Tho' Leader of the Opposition asked that this sum should be spent to support him in his political candidature. Thero was nothing to warrant it. In Auckland tho Opposition papers got more than the Government papers. In Ounedin tho Opposition papers got considerably more, would it be a right thing for the Government to advertise indiscriminately in all the. paper? of (his country? The Government did what wns fair between the Government and Opposition papers. 1(. could not put others nn the. list. If it did it would have to reduce, the rates that were paid for advertiting. If lie were to agree to]

what wns asked now, the amount spent in advertising would ba doubled or trebled. They wore not going to do this cither lor Government or Opposition members. •Mr. James Allen: Wo want fair piny. The Prime Minister: "If the lion, gentleman ever got to Heaven, which was problematical, ho would still growl—l withdraw that, nud wish him a safe passage there." Mr. Jnmes Allen: Shall I meet you there? Tho Prime Minister: "You won't meet me in tJio other place." The adveriising return mentioned by Mr. Mawoy shows that, tho total number of papers in which Government advertisements had boon authorised was 170', and the total expenditure wa.s .£10,19!) IK 3d. This sum includes JJUG 10>. for advertisements in sundry beaks, guidebook?, time-tables, and magazines, and Ai'ii for advertising iu show catalogues, on tickets, etc.