An Unholy Alliance.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1922, Page 3

An Unholy Alliance.

PREMIER. RAISES TROUBLE. MORE ABOLT THE FLAG. (“Lvttelton Times’’ correspondent) ' '' WELLINGTON, Oct 4. Them were heated passages in the House to-day, as a further sequel to the Prime Minister’s references at Foxlou to the Red Flag. Mr Yeitcli, speaking on the Post and Telegraph petition regarding aliiliation with the Alliance of Labour complaining of subtle and olfcusivc -Ministerial suggestions reflet-icing on Opposition members. He objected to suggestions .that because they were not under the Reform Hag they were disloyal. Anyone who said so was a perverter of the truth. The last statement was the subject ■ of a puint of order and a confused discusson, which resolved itself into a declaration by the Prime; Minister; that- the meinbeir for Wanganui was j the first person who had said lie was a perverter of the truth, and he was, not. going to allow him to Say so. j Mr Yeitcli was asked by Mr Speaker ; if lie had used such an offensive pluase about the Prime Minister, and lie answered that ho had said that if Mr Massey lmd called him disloyal ho'

.Mr Massey: That is a slmlTle. Mr Yeitcli: II I am wrong I will climb down, hut there is the reported statements of five Premier that the oppomnts of the Government were under the Red Flag of Socialism. Mr Voit’ch added that he did not be lirvo in Socialism, but lie would give credit to tbe Socialists for being loyal. When the v.ar was on members were asked to drop the wretched party business, and yet this sort of thing was brought against them because they opposed the Government. Mr Massey shortly afterwards joined in the general debate oil tile Post and Telegraph position. He took the opportunity of dealing with disloyalty suggestions, objecting strongly to his statements being distorted. He would go iiu tile platform and put things right on a. ininihur of points. The leader of the Labour Party, speak ing at Westport, had said that the Liberals euiild only reach the Treasury benches through the aid of l.ahimr. and they would only get that assistance on the understanding that the Labour Pa'ty would dictate the policy if the Government. Mr Milford: We did not say that. Mr Massey: No. the Labour Party said so. Need I remind the House of the negotiations between • the Labour md Liberal Parties on the subject? Mr Wilford: No, the Labour Party and tin. Liberal Party never discussed the subject. Mr- Massey: ll was done through third parties, lie admits that. 3he Hon (J, Fowldx and Mr O’Regan met i conit ren.-e of the Labour Party and made the suggestion. Mr Holland: That is quite true; Hit what has it to do with tile Postal letition ? Mr Wilfard: Don’t forget I stated ; told these two men my parly weald lot Mgr, o. and there the matter etul(l.

Mr -Massev ; The hnn gentleman said lie would agree to it. Mr Wilford: For proportional representation only. Mr Pnirv raised a point of order that Mr M sissey was not discussing the siihjeet hetme the House. Mr Speaker admitted that the discussion had wamitred, hut members had the privilege of replving to statements made about them. Mr Forbes: And we can reply? (Laughter). Mr M«ssiy returned to his argument. slightest ing that if the laihowr Party dictated the polity it would he socialistic. Mr Wilford: You cannot make me a Socialist. Mr Massey: Members on tho. Lnhour bench will not eontradiet it. I.aliour members: That' is so. Mr Massey: And Socialism’s symbol is piie Red flag. I followed it up bv saving you cannot have the Red Hag and the I'niiui .lack in the same eount»'V.

All- I-'laser: And that's where von went wrong. (Labour laughter). Mr Forbes: The-King said we were a|l Socialists. Mr Fraser: Now lie loyal. All- AI a ssi y : 1 have heard of kings who -aid very unwise things, which were distorted and twisted in a way they never intended. Mr Fraser: .V (blender ol the King. King William i- higher than King George. Mr Ma-ey ended the interlude with a declaration that lie was well aware that members ol the unholy alliance did not like what he was saying. AIR FORBES PUTS A POINT. t The member for lluruniii. who followed Mr Ma-siy. provoked a livelv 1 interlude when dealing with Mr Holland'-, a-sertiou that in the event of : the Government's defeat Labour, would dictate the policy of a LiberalLn'boiir Government, llow. he asked, could the Labour Party, who niinibeiyd only nine members, 'dictate at policy to ‘the Liberal Government on- I less they had Mr Massey behind j l hem ? , 1 Opposition members: Hint's the

Nine members, said Mr Forbes. | ecu hi not dictate a policy to any partv in the House unless they got Mr Massey's support. (I proar). Air ’Forbes: I would like to a-k tlie Prime Minister whether in the event of the Liberals getting into office will |,e join 'with tin- Holland party to; put them nut F Mr Massey: The lipti member is suggesting the impossible. The Prime Minister was unable, to make himself heard for a time, hut eve.ntuuHv rising to his led declared •the,l it was a cowardly thing iwot to let him reply. Some order having been restored lie added that he would never join with lhe labour Party for ally purpose whatever. Mr A!’Combs immediately drew Mr Speaker’s attention to the fact that Mr Massey had referred to numbers of the. H»tise as cowards, while Dr Thacker wanted to know why the Prime Minister should be privileged to stand up and address the House when another member had the floor. Several points of order were raised, the- lion K. P. Lee hitting the rind Am the head hv reminding Mr Speaker that Lite subject under discussion was the Pest and Telegraph ofllre.rs’ petition. Finally Air Forbes having made hks retort, urged the Pri*imi Minister to drop the question of loyalty and the Hag and light the election on the real