PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1923, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

CRANKING THE TAURANGA. CAR. Air .Masters ne.xi dealt with the Prime .Minister’s, activities in Tnurauga adopting Air Macmillan's metaphor of the motor-ear. “Mr Aleinillaii’s starter went wrong,” said Mr Masters, “and lie got the Prime .Minister to crank it for him. Mr Massey was cranking for three weeks, hut people realised that the car was not being steered very straight, and, despite the Prime Minister’s efforts, the Reform majority was decreased. Coming to “the crooked road road of Oamaru.” Mr Masters said the Prime .Minister for eight months did nothing hut electioneering from one end of the country to the other. It was not creditable that when a member wrote to a Minister he was informed that the matter would he attended to on the Minster's return to town. A Reform Member: Was the .Munster at Oamaru? Mr Ma.steis: If lie was not at Oamaru he was at Tauranga. PREMIER'S CONTINGENT. Mr Masters next declared that secretaries, typists and even a “Hansard” reporter were at Oamaru, a motor-ear being provided for the lastmentiuncil. Further, the “Hansard” man attended Air Maeplicrson’s meetings and supplied progress reports. Mr Alassey: That was a private arrangement-, and he was not a “Han-

sard” reporter. Air .Masters: A •‘Hansard” man was taken from Wellington and provided with a motor. Air Alassey: That is not so. Air .Masters: I say it is. 1 know perfectly well that a “Hansard” reporter went to Oamaru and followed Mr Afacplierson and provided progress reports. Afr Alassey: You are misinformed .Mr Masters: It is ait absolute fact, and the Prime Minister knows it. Air Alassey: T. do not. Ah- .Masters: He knows it now if he did not know it he fore. HOW AIR .MASSEY HID. -One nf the tit.-hiis of Air Alastors’ .'peecli was his reference to Air .Massey’s retreat, from Oamaru. One ot the regrettable things at Oainaru. he said, was the way the Prime .Minister deserted his “second best. .Minister" after the election, lie did not do what he did when lie won the Tauranga elecAVhfii Mi Al l “’v knew his jwviI am ill Ounii'ru. nc lefl oil the unuiiing of the election, pulled down the blinds nf the railway carriage and travelled In Christchurch without lilting one id them till he gilt to Lyttelton wharf. ( I ..'I uglier) . Mr Massey: That is not true. Air .Masters : Then they tell me that v hen they arrived at Wellington. Air Massey was the last, mini to get oil' the I,nut. and when he disembarked burned away quickly in a taxi. Laugh-

t ‘-I'- , Mr MiOsey: U' I were .in eleelnr <n v ,i..irs I would he :tsh:imod of V>u. Mr Masters: We’ll let llml ! os 1.. i a!i;il it is worth. A majority el Slral--1’,,1-d eleelof; Me mt.IV rt’.cid of Hit’ tlt:iis uf liiiH. What did tin utility e!i:iirm:in .“a.v itlttiui veil f MV Masters: lie said T "as ll"' hast ~01 n who ever sat in the House, (l.iiieyhler).