Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

A MORNING CALL ON MR. MASSEY

LIVELY INTERVIEW WITH WOMEN ANTI-CONSCRIPTIONISTS

GOOD-HUMOURED BANTER

Some lively, but withal good-tempered, passages of arms took place in the Cabinet room on Saturday, during an interview between : the Prime Minister and a deputation of about thirty members of the Women's Anti-Conscnptiou League who waited on Mr. Massey, in order to present their views regarding conscription. It was understood that there were to be only two spokeswomen, and that 111 vitw of -the fact that tho Primo Minister s time is so valuable, the proceedings would not be unnecessarily protracted. All good resolutions in this direction however, were thrown to the winds by' tho deputation,- which comprised many extremely voluble ladies. They did not allow themselves to bo hampered by any rules of debate; espeeialy during' Mj. Massoy's reply, when the Prime Minister was subjected to a. perfect fusillado of questions and interjections. Many feminine tongues -wero busy at once and the ladies oppressed their sentiments with the greatest freedom and candour Mr. Massey parried. the verbal strokes with a skill and good humour that evidently impressed the deputation. Both lio and the deputation appeared to enjoy the interview, which lasted more than an hour. Thoy were introduced by Mr. J. M'Combs, Ai'.P..

"Views of the Speakers!" Mrs. Donaldson, the first speaker, contended that tho necessity for the Military Service Bill had not been proved. Sha said that as women the deputation protested against compulsioin, because it was subversive of the spirit of freedom. As mothers, she said, they protested against rearing children if t]iey were to be conscripted in the interests of thoeo who did not represent the workin" classes. .

Mesdaines Aitken, Taylor, Snow, Beck and Hulbert spoke to similar effect. ' In reply to tho question from Mr. Mas»ey : "What would you do if tho Germans camo alonsr?" Mrs. Aitken saidi "I would fight them myself if they interfered with me. If they didn't interfere with me I would not" interfere with them. In Jocular Vein. Mrs. Hulbert spoke about the sanitation of the camps, in regard to which she stated an improvement was needed. Mr. Massey: Have you seen them? Mrs. Hulbert: No, but I know someone' who has. Mr. Massey: I will give you a pass any day that you like to visit the camps. Mrs. Hulbert: Will you give me a free railway pass? Mr. Massey: Yes, I will pay the fare out of my own pocket. Mrs. Hulbert: And will you let' we poke about as much as I like at tlia camps? Mr. Massey: Yes, as much as you like. (Laughter.) Mrs. Hulbert: And may I take a friend? Mr. Massey: Yes. In reply to a jocular question from another member of tho deputation as to whether he, was prepared to go to the front, Mr. Massey said, "Yes, I ani quite willing to go," (Loud laughter and applause.) A lady: And I will go as a nurso. Mr. Massey: If I go to tho front I will make this condition, that if I get wounded I shall have an opportunity of choosing my own nurse. "Now look at me," said another buxom lady in endeavouring to clinch an argument, "Well," said Mr. Massey smilingly, "I have been looking at you for some time with a great deal of admiration." (Loud laughter.) "Oh, I forgot you were on Irishman, Mr..Massey," was the lady's rejoinder. The Fun Begins. It was wlion Mr. Massey rose to reply that tho most interesting part of the proceedings commenced. He gave the ladies credit for sincerity, but he pointed out that it was a mistake to suppose, as tho deputation appeared to assume, that tho Bill would do away with the right of volunteering. Ho explained the leading principles of the measure, ?nd in order to facilitate the task of enlightening tho women he presented each member of tho deputation with a copy of the Bill. There was a mistaken impression oil their part, he said, that the object of the Bill was togetat the workers. ."Now,"..he added, "let me tell you chat there are no class distinctions in this country."

A chorus of-dissentient voices: Oh, Mr, Massey!

Jlr. Massey, after adverting to the fact that probably he knew a great deal more abouc manual labour than many of the deputation supposed, said that the Bill would take the sou of tho wealthy as well as of the poor man A member of tho deputation:' And his money, too?

Mr. Massey: Yes; as much as we want. We took two millions of money last year, and we will want some moro in audition to that this year. A lady: Will you put another penny on to the postage? I Hr. Massey (laughing): I can't give away Cabinet secrets, but if we do increase the postage rato who will have to pay it?

The lady: The Workers! Mr. Massey: Only a small portion of it. The business people will pay the bulk of it.' The lady: No; they can send a message boy round with their letters. No Escape for,the Rich Man. Mr. Massey said. that, it had been claimed that the rich man 'would escape under the Bill, but it would be impossible for him to escape. The best and sa'aightest men it was possible to find will be placed upon the Appeal Boards. A member of the deputation: AYhy not have a woman on the board? Mr. Massey: Well, I do not know whether tiiat would be a good thing. I do not say that there will or will not bo any women on the boards, as I cannot commit the Cabinet. Then as to the doctors: They will be military doctors and there will not be the slightest chance of influence being brought to bear upon them. The deputation in chorus: "Military doctors 1 Oh, that is worse still, Mr. Massey!" Mr. Massey pointed out that military doctors would perhaps be less liable to tho suspicion of influence than others, although he did not think that any doctor would bo open to receive a bribe.

. A reference by Mr. Massey to tho fact that the first men to bo called up would be tho single men without dependants elicited cries of "Shame!"

■ Mr. Massey: It would bo a shame if the married man had to go first.

A lady: Why send all the young men wBo havo not yet tasted fully of the joys of life? Why not raise tho military age to at least 60 years? .Mr. Massey: Well, an old age pensioner has already enlisted.

A Fusillade of Questions. The Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C., who was present, suggested that the deputation might like to know whether the. Government intended to take more of the war profits and to use the money in making more liberal provision for the dependants of married soldiers.

Mr. Masscy: I must ask you to wait until the Financial Statement comes down. Our duty is perfectly clear and plain. It is to assist tho Empire to win the war.

A lady: You would drive a man at tho point of tho bayonet. Mr. Massey (with emphasis): Well, if a man will not go of his own free will, he must bp mado to go.

In reply to a question. Mr, Massey said that the operation of the Act would cease at the end of the war.

A lady: But will it? Hqw about a written guarantee?

Mr. Masscy: It will go out automatically. No nuarantee is required. A lady: What about tho conscientious objectors?

Mr. Massey: "The State comes first." The Bill, he pointed out, was designed

to cnsuro that justice should bo dono to tlio men already at tho front by leaving jio doubt that they would bo backed up by regular and sufficient reinforcements, Mr. Massey: Oh, that is th'o saying of a politician—(derisive laughter)—who probably indulged in exaggeration. A lady: What about tho cost of liv-

ing? Air. Massey said that in war time the cost of living was bouud to go up. The Government bad increased the wngos of all its lower grade employees, and the Arbitration Court had decided in favour of an increase during the war. Tho Government could not keep down tho cost of production, but it could and was proventing a man exploiting tho public by making undue profits. Tho prico of the necessaries of life in nearly-'every case was lower in Now Zealand than in Australia, but they could not keep prices below the cost of production. A lady: My dear man, it does not cost moro to produce a pound of butter now than it did .before. 1 Two Brands. In reply to another interjection Mr. Massey said: I am sure you will modify jour views when you read the Bill. You arc just as patriotic a 6 other people. A lady: Not your patriotism, Mr. Massey ! Mr. Massey: Yes; there may bo different varieties of patriotism. Yours is one variety and mine is another. A lady: I hear a terriblo lot about the so-called shirkers. I do not like tho word "shirker." Mr. Massey: I do not like Hie' word either. And I do not like tho shirker. (Laughter.) , . , . . • A lady said there should be more conscription of wealth, and then there would not be the necessity for so many Carnivals. Mr. Massey: The people are so generous and patriotic that no matter what taxation is imposed they will want to do a little more. A High Compliment. When tho lunch hour approached, Mr. Jlassey succeeded in bringing the protracted interview to a close. "1 know you do not agrco with all I havo 6aid," he remarked, "but I am sure that you aro going away with a better impression of the" Bill than the one you brought with you." A lady (with emphasis): We have a better impression- of youV Mr. Massey, but not of the Bill. (Laughtor.) Mr. Massey: That is the greatest compliment that X have had for many a day, (Laughter.) In response to a parting suggestion from the ladies that this might not be the last occasion upon which they would wait upon thb Prime Minister, Mr. Massey jocularly replied: "Come as often as you like, but do not come after an all-night sitting of tho House if you can help it." • .

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19160612.2.28

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2794, 12 June 1916, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,723

A MORNING CALL ON MR. MASSEY Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2794, 12 June 1916, Page 6

A MORNING CALL ON MR. MASSEY Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2794, 12 June 1916, Page 6

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert