THE MEMBER FOR AVON.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1370, 22 February 1912, Page 6

THE MEMBER FOR AVON.

MR, MASSEY'S SMILE

MORE ABOUT BORROWING. Mr G /W. RUSSELL (Avon) quoted from'the Public Works Estimates to show that the votes did not fluctuate according to election years. , Mt. Herdman: But what was expended. Mr. Hussell deprecated Mr. Herdman s criticisms of the Civil Service, as being absurd when put forward as grounds lor ejecting a Ministry which had promoted legislation that hail put New Zealand in the forefront of civilisation. Tho political barometer had altered during the last few days. Tho smile of the Opposition leader wa's different. (Laughter from Mr. Massoy.) It was tragic now. (Laughter.) Mr. Massey had thought success was about to crown his efforts, but it now appeared to be as far off as ever. Speaking of borrowing, Mr.-Russell gave figures to show the proportion of loan moneys that was expended 'reproductivcly. There could bo no reduction, he thought, in the borrowing for railways and land settlement, as tho North Island was far from adequately railed or closely settled. Ho supposed there would be a reduction, if the Opposition came into power, in the borrowing for advances to settlers and workers, so that they could get back to the good old days of ten per cent. (Opposition laughter.) Even the lion-Tepro-ductivo borrowing was necessary, and most of it was indirectly reproductive. Ho considered that of tho ,£18,887,000 borrowed by the Ward Government, ,£18,000,000 might be classed as 'reproductive. If tho Opposition had been in office during the last iivo years, what part of that borrowing would they have refrained from, and how would they have helped the settlement of the country without borrowing? Criticising the speech of the wwlfcr of the opposition, he said that Mr. Massey would not repeal any legislation passed by the Government. . Mr. Massey: Any beneficent legislation. Mr. Russell: It's all beneficent. An hou. member: The second ballot? Mr. Kussell: ''That will not need repealing; it's dead already." Ho went on to declai'o that the people had been deceived by misrepresentations. When some of the Government supporters took to the platform the temporary advantage gained bv tho Opposition would disappear "like tho early cloud and the morning dew." Considering the purposes for which tho iivo million loan had been raised, it argued a lack of patriotism on the part of Opposition members when they said that tho loan had been a failure. Hβ advised tho Leader of the Opposition, if he did happen to get into power, not lo appoint Mr. Allen as his Minister for Finance. It he wanted a good, reliable Minister for Finance lie should appoint Mr. Hemes, who was not caught napping very -jl'teii by his opponents, although they got Mr. Allen every time. Mr. read some recent quotations of New Zealand and Australian stocks with a view to refuting statements made by Mr. Allen enrlier in the debafo. The Leader of tho Opposition had claimed that his party had enormously increased, and that this was thV answer of the. country to the'questions addressed to it. In part the result of the elections Vwis due to a lac'c of organisation on the part of the Liberal votes. The Result of Going "Heme." AVliilo the Prime Minister was away at I the Coronation, lih opponents wen- scbur- ■ ing the country. As a matter of fact five J hundred iotes turned over from the Opposition would have saved the Government ten seats. The Liberal policy stood unchallenged. If tlie Opposition cwno into power, was it to be expected that crapes would grove an a Utorn or ta on UusUjm?

The success of the Oppo-it.ion was largclj duo to shnmoful innuendo, slanderous, ly ing suggestions, umi wicked falsehood: studiously circulntt-d against ono man Tliis campaign of cnlumny had begin threo .veal's ago, when tlie (sectarian crj was raised in various nunrters, and par ticnliirly in ])nnedin. Following on ilia caino tiin Black pamphlet. 'I'liis had fil tered into tlic baek-blecks and every when that Government candidates had gone they had heard the charges that emauatei from tha Wae(: pamphlet Mr. K. TT. Rhodes: What have we gol to ilo with that? Mr. Russell went on to statn that veilei charges hail Ix-cn. made by the Oppositioi from the plattnrm thai; Sir Joseph Wan secured largo commissions upon the rais iiifr of loans. Opposition member*: Who said that? ilr. Rus-ell said Hint he would prove his statement at once. Tlie member foi Wellington Suburbs. Mr. liell, in one. o. his election speeches during last ?e«sici had said, in reference to loans: "Was tin money not rather, in a large degree, absolutely wasted? What about the 'pick ings' on the raising of loans? The Government would not pivc any details 01 information. But what would they d< with the treasurer of a bowling chib oi fouthall club who said that it was not tin par of a. financier to do .-o?" The gentleinan who made this statement, continned Mr. Russell, now occupied a sea in the House. (Hear, hear.) lie woulc now ask him to say what he meant whei iie talked about "pickings" on loans. Tin lion, gentleman's grandfather occupied, a one time, an honourable position in th House. Sir- Francis Dillon Bell went t; England himself to raise, large loans fo this country. Tt would be ns rcasonabl to suggest Mint Sir Francis Dillon Del hud made "pickings" on loans as thai Sir Joseph "Ward had done so. Mr. Bell: Who said that? "A Speech Factory." Mr. Eussell declared that lion, member on the opposite side of the. House had "; speech fiictirv." (Opposition laughter. He would give tho speech of another. Op position candidate—a man named Monck ton. An Opposition member: Well, stick tc facts. Mr. Kusscll slated that Mr. Moncktbii liad spoken of (he surreptitious, undemocratic financial policy of the Government mil had said that knowledge that tin five million loan had been raised came suddenly to an astounded country. Nc mo knew what it had cost, or who gol iouiiuisaioa, brokerage, or anything else jut of it. (Opposition laughter.) "The Unthinking Public." Mr. Russell went on to declare, heatedly, that the men who drafted that speech ;ierhaps knew -what they meant, but thej ilsok new what the unthinking public would understand from it. Opposition members: Who is using inauendo now? Mr. Russell added that, in the satm ivay, Mr. Bell knew what would be un :lerstood when ho talked about "pickings." Mr. Lanrenson: Dirty innuendo. Mr. Eussell declared that the hon. g»nllemen who prepared these speeches, in their speech factories, knew very wel' ivliat the impression was that would b( made, and what the unthinking public would understand. It had come to thi.' ivith a section of the public, that thc\ :lid not-want to uj)3et the Liberal party jr the Liberal policy, but they did wani to get rid of Ward. ft "Giant in This Country." Mr. Russell claimed that the Prirni Minister, though he had faults, stool |iead and shoulder above any other mai in the British Empire as a Fosbnastcr aenornl; he was a giant in this country Had Oppositioa offered a c.indidati for the Spcakership, and given the Gov :rnment the votes of Sir Arthur Guin ness and of Mr. Wilford, the innjorit , '){ the Opposition would vanish, bu whatever happened the Governmeir 3iirty was ready to meet its opponent: before the people at any time. (Opposi ;ion laughter.) Mr. Eussell gave f number of instances which he declare! comprised the campaign of calumny am ibiise. Mr. G. M. Thomson: From your side Mr. Eussell added that the trui Liberals of the Government party di( not desire to see a division from it: lilies of the Labour party, which hat ihvays been an integral part of tin jovernment -party, which , had alway: .vorked in the interests of the workers. riie Black Pamphlet Again, Mr. Masspy absolutely denied Mr itussell's statement that the Oppositior ivere opposed to the Advances to Work;rs. Hβ was the first man in tho Hoiist :o aih'6cate it. Mr. Massoy also objectec to a reference by Mr. Eusspll to the Op wsitinn being connected with the Blacl jnmphlft. Mr. Russell: No, I did not. Mr. Massey: Then why'did the hon ;entleman mention it. Why did hi n'ing it up? Mr. Heaton Rhodes: Innuendo. Mr. Russell further explained tha :hougli ho did not charge the Oppositioi vitir circulating the pamphlet the fact :h.it it was circulated helped to give tin Opposition the small accession ofstrengtl ;h".v had gained. ilr. Massey also denied emphatically Sit. Russell's statement that the Ee orm party had a speech factory. ISverj :andiuato at the late elections" had pre pared his own speeches unassisted. Tho House adjourned at 11.20 p.m. til !.3O p.m. to-day, on the motion of Mr. T Buxton (Geraldine).