POLITICAL PURITY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2259, 19 September 1914, Page 9

POLITICAL PURITY

' COMPARING RECORDS STATE ADVERTISEMENTS OPPOSITION ANGRY MINISTERS DENOUNCE SHAM , ■ TRUCE OPEN RUPTURE PREFERRED. The .first party wrangle that has oc-curred-in the House of Representatives for some weeks arose yesterday afterEcon. fMuch has been said of late about a truce between parties, but there is not agreentent among members as to whether i tie trace has been faithfully observed; or not. The incident opened with the prpsontation by the Hon. F. M..-8, , Fisher) of a return showing the amount paid.by the Government for advertisingw tho newspapers of the Dominion, and in presenting the return. Mr. Fisher pointed out that the Government had not, as the previous Gov.ern.nient had done, favoured those journals supporting tho Administration. The Opposition chose to regard his remarks as "party warfare; and when Mr. Fisher said, in effect; that.he preferred an open rupture to sham friendliness, he brought down ■ upon himself the denunciation of the Opposition members. A heated debate followed. • An Interesting Result. Mr. Fisher 6aid that "he nished to put the figures;on record because,they disclosed a somswhat interesting resultvery interesting by comparison with what took pl.ice unuer the past Administration of the Advertising Department —that the "New Zealand Times" gets more for last year than The Dominion — £10 more—the "Lyttelton Times" gets more than the "Press," and tho Christ-' church "Star" gets moro than > the "Evening Nows, . ■ Mr. Sykes: Why should that be? :• Mr. Fisher: That is an indication of impartial administration. And it is in great contrast to the figures for 1011-12, whonthe "Evening Post" got £707, the "New Zealand Times" £Q72, and Tius Dominion £104. In 1012-13 the "Post" got £529, ;the "New Zealand Times" £510, and Thb Dominion £403: and in 1913-14.the "Post"'got £599, the "New Zealand Times" £595, and The Dominion £586,' He thought these , figures justified him in -aying that under his administration of the Advertising Department these papers had a fair run. '. . ■ '' '■' Curious Anomalies. : "There are three classes' of' newspapers, Government, Opposition, and Independentj and there are also papers that are of no class," said Mr. Fisher, "but I. am going to deal chiefly with tho .three first classes. For the 'Observer' in Auckland, which I rank as an Independent paper, the figures are £215 for 19H-12, £103 for 1912-13, and £109 for 1913-14. Tho 'Spectator, , •which T understand is still being published in.Christehureh ——■". ;' ' •■ . An hon, member: Is that Independent?- ' .'■■•■■ ■■■■••■ Mr. Fisher: I am not sure that it is not an Independent paper, but I have written it down as being' apaper of no class. In 1911-12 the "Spectator" received for advertising £231. in 1912r13 £137, and in 1913-14 £86. An Opposition member: ; Coming down? ■ ■ ' ' • 7 Mr. Fishor: It is only, being brought into line. It is interesting tonototliat in 191W2rwheh 41iis-papeiH,got.v£23l, the "Canterbury Times" only got £76, and'in order to bring about'a proper relationship between these papers wo brought down, the , "Spectator" froin £231 to £86. and' increased' the "Canterbury Times" from £76 to £110. In .proportion to their circulation these papers are going to be evened up. ' Ho .went on to speak of tho Neiy Zealand "Free Lance," an Opposition, paper, which had received in 1911-12 £205, in 1912-13 £145, and in 1913-14 -£201. These figures, he said, showed that the Government were not doing what they . had been-accused by Mr. Russell of doing—giving advertisements only to papers of tho right colour. An hon. member: Is this a party speech?. •; . . Mr. Fisher: I am sick of all this talk of party. From this exuberant outburst of loyalty on<s would imagine it was the first time the party opposite has ever been in touch with the sensation. Mr. Fisher concluded by saying that he had had the_ return prepared to show a comparison between the first two years of the Massey Administration and the last :year of the previous Administration. The comparison : had been made on absolutely non-party lines, and ho had much pleasure m performing the unique. action of laying it on. the table without a motion from the Opposition side of the House. Mr. Wilford (ironically): So as not to make party capital. . Mr. Fisher: The honourable gentleman may be able to put coal on the nre without making any smoke. Mr. Russell and Purity. *i G - F- Kissell. (Avon) upbraided the. Minister with provoking conflict dt a time when a truce had been' declared as between parties. He described Mr. Fisher's taotios as being thoroughly "German." He uent on to speak of something that had.appeared in the Bay of Islands "Luminary" on September 11 regarding Mr. Wilkinson, one of the candidates for that seat. Mr. Speaker said that Mr. Russell must confine himself to the question before the House. . Mr. Russell: A charge of political impurity has beea made against this party, and-am riot to be allowed to cite something hi reply to the Government's claim to be the party of purity simply because it does not refer to Government advertising? . Mr. Speaker: You must confine yourself to the motion. Mr. Russell: Well, sir, Twill bow to your ruling, but I will take the first opportunity of bringing the matter up in another form. Tho Prime Minister: Hear, hear I I hope you will. I want it'out. Mr. Wilford said that ho did not propose to be drawn into the trap set by the- Minister of _ Marine, because those who fell into it would be fools indeed. The Minister had been selected to perform what was apparently a con-* genial task. . . . "How Is It Wrong?" Mr. Massey warmly resented the insinuation in Mr. Wilford's concluding words—that Mr. Fisher had been selected by his colleagues to do something improper. Opposition members: No! No! Government members: Then what does it mean? Mr. Massey said that no selection, as insinuated, had been made. _ There was nothing wrong or improper in what the Minister of Slarine had dono. He had boon asked for the return by a member of the opposite side of the House. Mr. Fisher: Bγ Mr. Russell himself on Friday night! Mr. Massey: I did not know that. Mr. Russeil: I did not ask for it. The statement is absolutely incorrect. Mr. Nosworthy You did. Mr. Forbes asked whether the denial of Mr. Russell must not be accepted. Mr. Speaker said that the denial must be accepted. , . Mr. Massey said that the return that had been presented was the usual: return. Was there anything wrong in tho Minister calling attention to the alterations that had been made during the last two or three years? Mr. Forbes: Yes, a lot of wrong in it! ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Mr. Massey: How is it wrong ? x A babel of cries came from the Oppo-

sition benches, tho loudest word being ■"Indecent." ' ■Mr. Massey: The correctness of the report has not been disputed. Mr, Russell: How can 1 wo tell ? Mr. Massoy said that the Opposition had asked for the details contained in the return, and when they got the information they did not like it. Opposition cries of "Party!" . Mr. Massoy: "As far'as possible, I 'have tried to avoid party recently, but I am not going to sit still and allow such insinuations as have been made to go unchallenged." •■ A Sickly Came. Mr. M'Callum (Wairau): Go on with your sickly return. Mr. Massey: If there ever was a sickly game played in this House it is the game played by the Opposition side of tho Houso during the past month. Mr. Russell: Why don't you wait until our Loader is hero, and then make that statement? Be a man! Mr. Massey: I am a better man than tho member for Avon ever was. '.'.•' Mr. Ell: There's no justification for that statement. •Tile interjections wore so many and so loud at this stago as almost to amount to uproar, and Mr. Speaker had to call for order. . ■ Mr. Maesey . said that the members on the other side of the House must take the responsibility for raising party feeling. "1 am perfectly tired of it," he .said. "I have endeavoured to avoid anything in the way of party recrimination, and to keep party issues at a distance. I have, urged my supporters to do the same, and the reply has been: 'How can we when we see the game that is , being played by the Oppo-' sition?'" Mr. Russell: Tell us what we have done. ' . Charge and Challenge, Mr. llassey: The hon. member (Mr. Russell) has endeavoured to impress the public with the idea that his sidQ is avoiding party, but there is party in evory .movement of theirs.- Every person in the House, whether member or visitor, must be able to see what is going on. ■■~-. . I Mr. Russell: I challenge you to quote . one instance. Mr. Massey: What about your speech a few miutues ago? As to the Government advertising, he would remind the House of what took : place when the prosent Government party was in Opposition.. Newspapers were then punished forHheir polities', but the present Government was giving fair play to all. Mr. Forbes: AVhat about the war cor-, respondent? Mr. Massey "There is a fiill and complete answer," so .far as the war correspondent is concerned. Some of those who have been talking about that will be sorry that they spoke when they got the explanation, and tho explanation will come." Election prospects. Presently Mr. Massey began to talk of election prospects incidentally. Ho spoke of Mr. Russell's chances, the remark following a reference to the Reform candidate for Avon, and Mr. Russell made a retort concerning Mr. Massey's scat. ' An hon. member asked: Is that party? ■ Mr. Russell: I am answering a fool according to his folly. Mr. Speaker: That remark must be withdrawn. • . • ■ Mr. Russell: It is only a quotation from Solomon, but I will withdraw it. , Mr. Massey: I did not ask. if. to. be withdrawn. The utterance is worthy of the one who uttered it. lam eorry that this discussion has taken place. It is not 'in accordance with tihe truce that has,been declared. '■ . ,' '___ . ,__. The" Truce~'D isoivhed. ■■ Mr. Ell (Ohristehurch South): There has been no truce, and you know it. ■; Mr.'.' Witty declared -that the Prime Minister had shown "lack of dignity," to the, Prime Minister's evident amusement. When Mr. Witty said sorae'thing which was especially preposterous, Mr.' Massey mado a rcniark to the effect that ho was "sick of it." Mt. Wittj : This Prime Minister says he is sick of things. What is he sick of? ■ •■ ■ Mr. Massey: Tho sham of tho other .sido._ ■•' ■ . • ' Mi , . H. Atmore (Nelson), after scolding the Prime Minister and the Minister of Marine in a manner not now unfamiliar, expressed the opinion that the incident had showed the need for an early election, in order that a now Government might be put in office.. Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hufunui) said that the Prime' Minister had spoken ungenerously, and that the Hon. F. M. B. Fishor : had deliberately irritated the House. He alleged further that the Prime Minister had ( made a party speech. . ' Food for Laughter. Mr. H. G. Ell (Christchurch, South) expressed the hope that there would be no more suclv incidents while the war crisis continued. Later on in his speech, M*. Ell remarked that tho Minister of Marino was laughing. . The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher: I could laugh at you all the week round. Mr. Ell:.l.am not laughing Mr. Fisher: No, you are not. (Laughter.) , . . ■ Mr. W. Nosworthy (Ashburton) said that on the whole the truce had been fairly well maintained, but no one who know anything of political life could feel otherwise than that since tho Leader of the Opposition had led his party out when the Minister of Finance presented his Budget, the so-called truce was anything but a sham. Mr. R. M'Callum (Wairua) said that- the very second paragraph of tho Budget contained a direct party attack on the Opposition. The Prime Minister: The Budget was printed before war was declared'. Mr. A. M. Myers (Auckland East) said that tho withdrawal of the members of the Opposition' from the Chamber, when the Financial Statementwas presented was justified. . The Prime Minister: It was an insult to us. ■ ' Mr. Fisher Replies. In his reply, the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher said that without wishing to disturb the calm which now pervaded tho Opposition he desired to reply to some of the statements which had fallen from members of tho other sido of tho House. On Friday evening leading members of the Opposition had made the accusation that newspapers of theright colour wero now getting the advertisements. In the face of; that, members of the Opposition would have the general public believe that ho (Mr. Fisher) was responsible for tho introduction of this matter. Mr. Russeli had introduced the point as to the "Spectator" and Government advertising. The charges of party bias in connection with newspapers wore not prompted by anything ho (Mr. Fishor) had said that day. ''I was asked to furnish the House with a return," ho siiid, "and it seems that one gets very little thanks for doing so. When I hear members on the other sido talk about chivalry and loyalty, I ask them to think that only last week a candidate was selected in my district to oppose ma That is a sample of loyalty." Electioneering-(lie added) was going' on and could not be stopped. Ho was not going to be guilty of hypocrisy, and was going to do what electioneering ho could -in self-defence. He did not want anyone to take their hands off his electorate on account of tho war, because ho waanot going to take his own off. Returning to the question of where tho blame for .the introduction of party criticism lay, Mr. Fisher pointed out that Mr. Atmnro had said that the "Evening Post" had had its State advertising business reduced by tho sum of £100 because it had criticised him. What, he asked, was that but party bias? Air. Atmore remarked that it was the truth which hurt the Minister. Mr. Fisher: I haven't accused you of telling tho truth.