THE PREMIER AND MR. MASSEY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1438, 13 May 1912, Page 4

THE PREMIER AND MR. MASSEY.

AN EXCHANGE OP COMPLIMENTS. In a Press Association telegram from Auckland, which was published last Saturdav, reference was made to a telcgr.ini sontby the Prime Minister to Mr. Massey, and described by tho latter as "olfc-nsivo and insulting." A copy of the telegram was handed by Mr. Mackenzie to a Dominion reporter last orcnintr, and is I reprinted below. The following extract from an interview with Mr. Massey, as telegraphed from Auckland, serves to introduce it:— . . . . There was nothing else in Mr. Mackenzie's speech as reported in Auckland exceut tho mere point that Mr. Maekenzio said that lie (Mr. Massey) had said that a' Mackenzie could always bo bought. To this Mr. Massey replied: "It is a paltry thin? in the extreme, and it is also untrue. As a matter cf fact, I have sent a telegram to Mr. Mackenzie as follows:—'Will you give me your authority for your statement that I said a Mackenzie could always be bought. •' Mr. Mackenzie sent tho following telegram to Mr. Massey:— "lie Mackenzie clan. Your telegram • received yesterday 'While at back of the Wainn. 'I do not gather from it. (hit . you denv having made an unjustifiable i'oltectio'n on the name of an honoured clan and also on myself personally. The necessarily curtailed report of my.remarks contains practically tho essence of what I said; hence my defence, not only of the Mackenzie.*, biu i also of all other Highland clans, when I I declared that, athough £10,000 was offered for Prince Charles, not one of them would touch a penny of the bribe. If vou assert thatjou did not make the "serious reflections on tho Mackenzies which I have alluded to, . I will at onco furnish you with my source of information. Might I point out that you did not. show; great alacrity in responding to tho demands made in Parliament on you for the sourco of information oi .the statements that certain members of Parliament had offered money to square another member" of Parliament. It was upon receipt of the above telegram that Mr. Massey is reported ro 1 nvo " ""i' sent a courteous telo.m'iim to tho Primo Minister asking for bis authority for his statement. In reply, lie has sent me an offensive and insulting telegram. It has oiven tho public a ghumso oi tho Prime Minister in his true colours, and J. am satisfied to loiivo tho matter until we meet in Parliament." Upon this, Mr. Mackenzie remarked last night: "Evidently Mr. Massey is not going to deny the reflection he cast upon tine Mackenzies and upon niyso f. Ho side-tracks tho mutter by saying- that he will deal v'th it in tho House.