THE GLOVES OFF

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2300, 6 November 1914, Page 6

THE GLOVES OFF

HARD HITTING BY MR. FISHER WARDISTS 6 LABOUR MEMBER FOR HUTT AND THE • SOFT PEDAL DISCUSSED BY THE MINISTER One of the brightest speeches of the long debate in the House of Representatives on Thursday morning on tlio Appropriation Bill was that of tho Hon. F. M. B.- Fisher. Mr. Fisher said that as there was nothing to do betweon then and breakfast he thought he would make a speech. Ho had waited patiently all night for the debate to come to a close and it seemed a pity to allow members to disperse at the extraordinary hour of 6 a.m. He went on to remark that ho noticed from a' newspaper o.f that morning thr.t a gentleman named ,Mr. Wilford delivered an enthusiastic speech at Petone on tho previous evening. Mr. Wilford:. Not an enthusiastic speech. '■Jr. Fisher: It surely must havo been an enthusiastic speech if ho delivered it because he is enthusiastic even when lie is talking the veriest nonsense. _ This is what the hon. gentleman said in his speech, and I mention it because this really clinches the story of the compact I have heard of from hon. gentlemen who represent, or misrepresent, tho Labour Parj.y: that there is an alliance between the Opposition and the Federation of Labour and Social-Democrats to oust the Government. I have seen the member for Hutt and the member for Wanganui sitting on the same bench rubbing noses for the last half-hour, and hatch-, mg plots. It only gives point to the statement niado by tho Labour members in tho House during the' debate that there is an alliance between Labour and Liberalism as confirmed by the statement made last evening at Petone. This is what Mr. Wilford said: "The Prime Minister (Mr. Massey), by the repealing of, the Second Ballot, was of the opinion that Liberal and' Labour would be ~ fighting each other throughout the electorates, but he was astonished when he found that Liberal and Labour-had joined hands in fighting for the weal and interest of the masses as a whole." The hon. Gentleman has at last taken his foot off the .soft, soft pedal, and has actually made a true declaration. Then he went on to say: "Liberal and Labour ideals were one and the. support that was being: given the cause throughout the length and breadth of the Domini ion was both astonishing arid encouraging. Labour saw the point that Mr. Massoy aimed at and was prepared to meet it. , These oombiried organisations swept the country in,the days of the late Mr. Seddon and would do. it again on the present occasion. .Reform had got into power by a toasted cheese policy that secured a few Liberals who ratted from the party, but it had had the effect ef cementing Liberal and Labour by strongor bonds."

"With Absolute Certainty." "So," continued Mr. Fisher, "wet can say with aDsolute certainty, because we have it from the lips of Labour and the oracle of the Opposition that an alliance between these, parties has been brought about and lias "determined to defeat the present Administration. . As far as the coalition was concerned they, had .strong evidences of. it, apart from the utterances of the hon. member for Hutt aiid certain members of the Labour Party. The Opposition was going to be unopposed by Labour in Napier, Hawke's Bay, Wellington Central, Buller, Westland, Christoburch, and Riccarton. Labour was going to be unopposed by the Wardites in Wellington South, Wellington North, Wellington East, Grey, Wanganui, Lyttelton, Grey Lynn and Otaki. "Think of the sacrifices that have been made," continued Mr. Fisher. "Fancy sacrificing the Labour vote in Hawke's Bay in the interests of a large landowner, a capitalist; and just fancy in all these electorates I have , named sacrificing the genuine supporters of - Wardism and depriving them of any chance of being able to voto against the Government. We have waited for some time for actual proof of the coalition thai; has teen denied so often; but I expiess my obligation to the -Labour members and the member for Hutt for being given the proof that the combination between,the two parties has been effected, and that at- last Wardism has so subordinated itself_ to its desire to get into office that it has entered.into an alliance with the Red Feds. It is very satisfactory to get that information." • The Pedal Broke. "Now we shall be able to go to our districts and toll them that the Right Hon. the Leader of tho Opposition is going to lead the Red Feds into the electoral campaign, of 1914. And this lead is going to meet with the approbation of- the" hon. member for Hutt, who came back from Home, found his party in distress, deserted it, hoisted the flag of independence, put his foot on the soft, soft pedal—and_ the pedal broke, and the bellows 'busted.' The lion, gentleman then wanted to come'iu with the Reform Party, but found they would not take him, and so he has joined himself with the polyglot party, of Independents, 60-called Liberals, Rod Feds, United Labour'lndependents-—" Mr. Payne: There are "rats" on your side.' •

Mr. Fisher: "The lion, gentleman is an acknowledged expert on rats, and I think perhaps his opinion on tho subject might be worth noting.' So we find that tho complete combination has been effected. Now we know exactly where we are." • "Grossly Unfair Charges." In a further reference to Mr. Wilford, the Minister said that there could be no doubt that the member for Hutt was responsible for the grossly unfair charges that were made against tho Government in reference to the Huntly disaster, and he'unquestionably was responsible for the vindictive and unjustifiable charges that were made against the Minister of Mine's. Mr. Payne: Unjustifiable?' Mr. Fisher: Absolutely unjustifiable. There can bo no question about that, and I am bound to observe in passing that I think that politics in this country have come to a. low ebb when mem who .aro to bo known jn this House as honourable members of Parliament resort to attacking tho Administration on account of an accident which no one could have foreseen, and which, so far as we know, could not have been prevented by legislation. When these members come into the House and lay at the door of the Administration a charge of- murder—for it amounts to nothing else—then I say the men who do.it are not merely a disgrace to Parliament, but they aro a disgrace to civilisation. I do not attempt to disguise tho fact in tho slightest degree that- tho member for Hutt, who went up there as legal and political counsel, has been largely instrumental in bringing about this phase of the question in tho. House. There is not a. 6hadow cf doubt about it. The member for [Tutt was resiwnsible for priming many members of . tho House in their attacks upon the Administration. To my mind tho attitude that lias been adopter] by these members of the House towards the Administration in.regard to this

natter is an absolute and unqualified disgrace, and I am very sorry to think tliat such charges should have been made. , An hon. member: So ore we. Mr. Fisher: I have not the slightest doubt of the Administration surviving that. No Real Charges. Hero we have had one of the longest debates of t'lie session, aud we would have thought the Opposition party ~ would have rallied its forces and made ' something like substantial chargc6 and complaints against the Government. But what have we had P We have had complaints to-night about the merits of officers appointed to the Expeditionary Force; about the merits of a lawyer who '• a< J drafted a certain Bill, about the Bluntly and wo have heard improper allegations against those who 3 ar ? r * responsible. All I can say is „ this: that if this is to be the sum total x of the weight of the Opposition attack j as the result of- the two years' administration of the Government, and during ■ s the most difficult period-that any Ad- \ ministration in this country ha 6 ever " experienced—all I can say is that the' [ Administration has come out with flying . colours; and I think the Prime Minister ' ought to be proud of the fact that his Administration and his party have come through that period with such satisfactory results. J Verses on Mr. Wilford., a It had been said ,that the Government had done nothing in the direc--3' tion of assisting Labour, he continued, but as a fact it had done more than a had been done .in any other two years . for the last thirty years. Finally, Mr. 3 Fisher submitted a set of verses. I; "With apologies to the great American .. poet, Longfellow, who wrote 'The ■ Saga of King Olnf,' " he remarked, "I 3 propose to dedicate this small effort to f the member for Hutt:— ' i' I am the great Tomass, ' Mr. Payne: Jackass, you mean! Mr.. Fisher: No, I was not 'referring r to you I Now I will make another start: r "I am the great Tomass | Wonder of wonders. : ; Teller of chestnuts - !, ' Trusted by no one, > Covered with thin veneer I lay the law down. "None break a lance with 1 ms , I am not worth it; ; Yet in a loud voice , | ' Affright I the nation. . I am the great I am, [ None but me knows it. ' . ; '.'Hear me when-in debate, t I take them all down; . . | lam the-brainy man , ; No one can doubt it. Those whom I speak against Shiver and tremble. "Nothing original In all -my speeches, Stale joke and chestnuts, Only I know it; Lord what a wit l am ■; Yet am I- wasted. "I love a, gallery (TKis in strict confidence), • I like to make the crowd , • Snigger and giggle; _ That's why I chose this seat So thoy would hear me. i , "Hear the 6mart things that ]• Whisper out loudly i Over my shoulder. Hero I can hear them, Saying how smart I am, Then I am happy They think I am clever. , . (I am and I know it), But this is a secret , None would suspect' it. . ■ ' "I,:;should-;-he -Premier . Noiie can,3eny it; , But I've no followers Tliis makes, it.awkward; - >v .-,,l've all Snlendid appearance' Moulded in modesty Yet no one trusts me. ~ "I know more than Judges fcnoTf Dootors can't teach me, Professors at Colleges" - All come to hear me; Juries have _ worshipped me • ( I am a genius." : Mr. Payne: Tell us when we are to; laugh. '• .- • ■ ■ \ Mr. Fisher: Of course the hon. gen-i tleman will laugh when the jackassi laughs. . ■ ■ »