MR. W. D. S. MACDONALD.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1371, 23 February 1912, Page 6

MR. W. D. S. MACDONALD.

LIVELY MOMENTS. ■ WHO HAS THE MAJORITY?"'v... Mr. W, I>. S. .•MACDOiS'ALD (Bay .of Plenty) .eulogised tjae legislation of-past years -and- the legislative programme .of "the ■Governor's Speech, which, he said, would' have to be curried out by any Government. As soon as Mr. Macdonald began to talk of the state of parties in the House, the Opposition cries of "Divide, divide!" were renewed. Mr. Macdonald: "The Liberals have as large a majority in this House as the Conservatives have/ (Divide, divide.) If tho Conservative party gets 'a. majority it will be from the Independents, and I cannot conceive of any Liberal casting a vote with the Conservatives, who have opposed every progressive measure." (Ministerialist applause, Opposition dissent, and loud hear, hears from Mr. Laurcnson.) During the, election campaign they did not criticise the Government's legislation, but they uttacked one man—the Leader of the party—in a most malignant manner. ("Hear, hear," "No, no!" Applause and uproar.) The Speaker appealed to the House to give the hon. member a hearing. Mr. Macdonald said that in spite of the uproar of tho Conservative party, what he had stated was the absoluto truth. Mr. R. H. Rhodes: You don't know .what tho truth is! , Mr. Speaker ordered that this remark should be withdrawn. Mr. Rhodes: I bow to your ruling, Sir. Mr. Macdonald declared that the Liberal party was loyal to its chief, and he was loyal to his party. He was not going to give way until it had been shown that lie was opposed by a majority of the House. Opposition members: Divide! Prove it! Mr. Macdonald said that, like other members, ho was quite prepared to sco a vote of the House taken before t.hoy threw up the'sponge to tho Conservative party. The Opposition had laid many charges, but ' had substantiated nothing. They placed their reliance in innuendo and misrepresentation. They had not cited one definite case of extravagant expenditure by the Government. Opposition members: The Hutt Road.

Native Lands, Mr. Macdonald continued that although the Opposition was always calling out for the'settlement of Native lands, they did not demand the settlement of areas held by big Tory landowners. In spite of what the Opposition had said, the •Government had employed large numbers of surveyors, who were busily engaged in opening" up vast areas of laud.' Mr. Macdonald quoted figures in support of this contention. He denied absolutely that millions'of acres of land were lying idle. This cry was raised by the Reform party in order to shield their Tory friends who held millions of acres practically idle. The land held by the Government available for settlement aggregated only 3,500,000 acres. This included land fit for closer settlement and pastoral land. The Leader of the Opposition had stated, in Christchurch, that tlie King Country was b?ing rapidly opened np aud settled. This was the sort of thing that the Opposition said when they were stating the facts of the case and not misrepresenting for electioneering purposes. Mr. Macdonald said that the very peoplo who complained that the Government did not provide settlers with means of access to their holdings had sent representatives to Parliament _ to support the Conservative party in its anti-bor-rowing policy. Mf. Macdonald was applauded when his speech was interrupted by the dinner adjournment.

Borrowing. Mr. Maedonald. when lie resumed nfter tho adjournment', said Hint tho only platform of tho Opposition during tho election was: "Put the Government out of offioo." Apart from the alleged sins of tho Leader of the Liberal party, they relied greatly upon allegations that the Government had lieen guilty of extravagant borrowing. These statements had lawn . persisted in, though those making, them knew that some of thn North Island county councils did not (jet one-tenth part of tho money that they asked for. Those people who 'understand the position knew that unless the Leader of the Opposition and his party were like Eastern magicians they could not carry out the promises which they had made to tho people without borrowing. Sixty per, cent, of the money borrowed by the present Administration was payinjr interest. The Opposition had gone round the country saying that the Government whs heiuiing up an enormous debt and increasing the burdens that bore np:m tho workers. I Mr. Lanrensou (fervently): Hear, hear! That's their game the whole time. .

Mr. Mncdonnld said that no man could deny that safe investments could not bo found in New Js."ftlind to-day. lint homo men who had accumulated wealth hero took thoir money away because they were afraid of Labour, which was noing to assert itself and get its just right.-. People, in every electorate had made mis-state-ments about the Leader of the. Government, and had imputed all sorts of jobhery to tho Administration. Mr. Macdonald as no continued, was interrupted by Opposition interjections,of '-JJividn!" 'Tts; we-Till tako & tofcriflU," {iMffiid,

To this the Opposition members respondeel with a veritable, chorus of "Hear, hears."