MR. H. M. CAMPBELL.

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

MR. H. M. CAMPBELL.

ATTACK RESENTED. A FEW PLAIN WORDS. Mr. H. M. CAMPBELL (Hawke's Bay) rose to make a personal explanation, stating .that-on underhanded attack had been made upon himself and upon his lato father. . Mr. Ma.ssey: Meanest thing I-ever heard iu niv life. The PRIME MINISTER challenged Mr. Campbell's right to make a personal explanation, and suggested that the House should adjourn. It was then 11,40 p.m., and he remarked that mombers did not want to sit until twenty minutes to one. Mr. Campbell elected to make a speech. The, member for Napier, "ho said, had stated that his (Mr. Campbell's) father had bequeathed land, under different names, so as to escape land tax. This was deliberately false At the bidding of Mr. Speaker, Mr. Campbell withdrew "deliberately false" and .substituted "absolutely contrary to fact." Tho member for Napier, he said, had been guilty of an underhanded attack. His (Mr. Campbell's) father had come to New Zealand in the earlv days. He had fought for his country during the Maori 'War and he hod never done an underhanded thing. (Hear, hear.) Neither had he ever lent money at tho rate of 30 or 40 per cent. (Hear, hear.) A.Queer Collection. While on his feet he would- make a few other remarks. Looking round on the opposite benches he saw a very queer collection. There was tho pure-water crew and also the beer section. There were all sorts. There was a large landed proprietor on one of tho back benches. There were also those who considered it a sin to own any laud at all—or at least they . professed to. (Laughter.) Then there wa9 a gentleman on the Treasury benches who was returned as a large sheep-owner. He hod far more sheep than several of the gentlemen Mr. Brown had accused of being large shipowners in Hawke's Bay. (Hear, hear.) Mr. MASSEY. controverted a statement by Mr. Brown that the Leader of the .Opposition was the particular friend of flic Hawke's Bay landowners. As an indication of their relations, ho reminded the House of an incident of the election campaign, during which four Hawke's Bay' landowners did their best to injure him politically by signing a loiter which was incorrect, and circulating it through the Dominion by means of the Press Association. He objected to Mr. Brown's endeavour to show that the Leader of the Opposition was a friend of the large landowners. Mr. Isitt: Hear, hear. Government members: So you are. Mr. Massey: The gentlemen who say T am are making a statement that is absolutely contrary to fact. (Ministerial uproar.) lam acainst monopoly in every possible way, whether if is monopoly of land or monopoly of beer. The adjournment wn.s moved by Mr. W. ,T. Dickie, and the House rose at 11.50 p.m.