LAND AND WEALTH.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1377, 1 March 1912, Page 6

LAND AND WEALTH.

BEHIND THE GOVERNMENT. PLAIN SPEAKING BY MR. MASSEY. "I want to say." continued Jlr. Jlassey, "that I object to all the epithets and names which are hurled at us from tho other side of tho House. H has been repeatedly said that wo are tho representatives of the large landowners of this country. Is there anybody on (he other side of tho House who will repeat that statement to-night?" Some. Government members laughed, but they did not otherwise reply. "I hate to bo personal," said Jlr. Jfassey, and I object to personalities. Sometimes one is drawn into personalities in the heat of debate and regrets it afterwards. I am not speaking now in the heat of debate, but I want tosay, by way of meeting the statements that have been made, that there are larger landholders on the Treasury benches behind the Government and supporting the Government than there are on these benches and supporting this- party. (Opposition hear, hears.) There is one man, a supporter of the Government and sitting behind them now who owns more land than all the men pitting around me."

Sir Joseph Ward: Name him. Mr. Massey: The member for Eiccarton. Some laughter arose at this point for Mr. Massey had indicated, and had evidently' intended to name, the member for Avon'(Mr. G. W. Russell). The Wealthy '.'Liberal" Party. Mr. Massey: I say there are more wealthy men on the Government side of tho House than there aro on this side. The wealthiest men in this House arc on tho Government benches and behind tho Government. (Government laughter and dissent). I hate to say these things, but •tho points have got to be met and I am. going to meet them. Two men who are supporters of the Government own more money than all the men on the Opposition benches. I am not going to name them and I hope the lion, gentleman will not ask me to. The wealthiest men in Auckland city are supporters of the Government, and so are the wealthiest men in Wellington and in Christchureh where the Government is supported by men able to send their motor-cars to carry supporters of the Government to tho polls. If there is anyone who ought to know about it Mr. It. W. Smith: Mr. Speaker, am I not right in supposing that the Leader of the Opposition, in making this speech, should confine himself to the adjournment and to the reasons why this Parliament should not be adjourned? Mr. Allen quoted a ruling by Sir Maurice O'Korke that any matters affecting the affairs of the country might be discussed on a question of adjournment. Tho Speaker upheld this view, and ruled accordingly.

An Empty Party Purse. Mr. Massey: I was meeting a suggestion that has been put forward very often on tho oilier side of the House that we aro a party of capitalists. If there is one man on this side of the House who ought to know tho posiliou of the 'party funds, ] am that man, next to the treasurer, ami I may say that the treasurer is hore. I have led tho party for six years, and have dono a good ileal of travelling up and down this country in that period. During those six years I have not drawn as much from tho party funds as would pay for the postage stamps I have used, and why?. Because the funds were .not there. We have not got wealthy men behind us. (Government laughter.) I am stating what is the truth, and a positive, fact. We never get cheques for hundreds of pounds from wealthy men. (Government members: Thousands.) Nothing of the sort. During the lime I have been at the head of the party we have never had a thousand pounds in the party funds. I am not a wealthy man. I am not whining. Probably if 'J retired from politics tomorrow I should have enough to live on, lint I have had to pay my own expenses during the past six years.

The True Democrats. "We contend," continued Mr. Massey, "that we are true democrats ill" tlie proper sense of the word. We aro contending for wjiat we believe to bo Iho rights and privileges of Hit; peoplo who sent ns here." Mr. Massev challenged the I'rimo Minister to produce a precedent wlie're there had linen a prorogation of Parliament under conditions such as obtained at the moment in New Zealand. Sir Josoph Ward: I will 'give vuu a .dozen DroscnUjr,

Mr. Massey said that Ihe Primo Minister had cited (he ease of Mr. Gladstone giving way to Lord Hosebmy. .Kill what was the inaiorily of the Liberal parly in thi! Imperial Parliament on I hat occasion? And was there a promise on the part of the Ciladstone (iovjriinieiit lo lysign and have a rcronsf ruction when llr. Gladstone, went (iiir? As to the Queensland ease cited by (he Prime MiuisU'r, when Mr. Kidston retired in favour of Mr. Denliam, '.heir party had a, good working majority. .Sir Joseph Ward could not say (hat he had a good working majority. Is'o Government could carry on—tile present Government or any other—on the. casting vote of tho Speaker. He challenged the Prime Minister lo produce nny parallel to what was the case in the Xe.v Zealand Parliament at the moment, where n Government, holding office on the casting vote of the Speaker, was going out and putting in a new Government. As to the voice of the people, said Mr. Massey, figures such ,as the Prime Minister bad mentioned t amounted to nothing at all, because in some of the electorates there were no Opposition candidates. It. was indubitable, however, that at tho general election 41 members were returned to tho House pldged to oppose the present Government.

About Pledges. The Hon. K. M'Kenzie: But not to support you. Mr. Massey said that 41 members wore pledged to assist the Leader of tho Opposition in turning out the Ward Government. Sir Joseph Ward: 3ut they would not agree to put you in. Mr. Massey: >"o, but they pledged themselves to put you out! Some of them havo broken their pledges, and, according to telegrams that I have received, some of their electors are waiting for them with very tight-fitting suits. 1 want members of Parliament and tlie people of tho I country to understand that the question before us at tho present moment is a democratic issue, a straight-out question whether members of Parliament will be doing their duty, knowing that possibly in a few days, certainly in a few weeks, a. number of men will bo occupying those benches, entrusted with the administration of tho country, of whom we know nothing. 1 am quite •willing to give a. month for reconstruction, three weeks, a fortnight, ten days, but let us. who are direct representatives of tho people, do the right thing by tho people who sent us here.

THE HON. R. M'KENZIE. "A QUESTION ENTTKEIA" FOB THK majority." 'i'ho Hon. V,. M'KBNZIE said that ho was surprised at the Leader of tlie Opposition not taking his defeat like a. man. It was perfectly well known that Mr. Massey wanted to force a dissolution. Ho hail siiid that 41 members were returned (o put the Ward Government out. It had ' been already announced more than once that the Ward Government was going out. But members had not been returned to put Mr. Mnssey into power. Mr. M'Kenzio repeated in general terms the accusation, denied by Mr. Massey, that the Opposition was supported by wealthy men.. Mr. Massey had said that his party had no fighting fund. Yet rumour had it that the-party had spent ,£50,000 at the past election. The Opposition were not going to be consulted in the re-election and appointment of a new Ministry. That was a question entirely for the majority in Parliament. .Mr. M'Kenzio concluded by accusing Mr. Massoy of wasting the time of the. country by prolonging a iisekss discussion.

MR.. FISHER. A COMATOSE MINISTRY. Mr. I'. IT. B. FISHER said that the party in nower had Usual a manifesto bnaruiß a'portrait of Sir George Grey. He wished to point out what Sir Goorfio Grey had done under such circumstances as now faced (ho Government. On Octol>3l, 1), 1877, a motion of want of coniidenco was moved, and six days afterwards Sir George Grey came down with a new Miuistny. Members wevo asked to go away, leaving on the Treasury benches a comatose Ministry which could not carry out , any administrative Act. They were" pledged to resign, and would ba replaced by' nien of whom tho House knew nothing, and these men would wield the reins of • power for three or four months just as if they had tho confidence of the House. That "was the position the House was asked to accept. A new Ministry should ':;<■ given a fair chance. Tho House should adjourn for two, three, or four weeks, but not longer. Ho would be astonished if men on the other side of the. House accepted office under the conditions proposed. They should adjourn for three weeks, test the capacity of the new Ministry, and so ensure that qualified men were left in charge of tho affairs of the country.