POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3768, 20 June 1907, Page 3

POLITICAL.

Speech by Mr. Massey.

Auckland, June 18

Mr Massey, Leader of the Opposition, addressing his constituents at Patumahoe, said those on the land and prospective settlers would be prejudicially affected by the Land Bill. Mr McNab said at Stratford, “Would it not be a fine thing if I could hand over endowments 'sufficient to pay the rates.” “That is the bribe held out to people in the towns,” declared Mr Massey. Mr Fowlds had made a “ rabid, vicious, and stupid attack” upon him. The trouble was that he was tearing the Government Land Bill to pieces. He was willing to hand the whole matter over to actuaries, Who would divide capital value into interest between the State on the one hand and the settlers on the other. If in giving the option of purchase the settler was entitled to make any payment to the State, let it be made. He did not wish to rob the State of a farthing, but Mr Fowlds wished it to rob the settlers. He did not think Mr Fowlds would deny that he was a single-taxer, and single tax and Socialism was a bad combination in a Ministry. He denied that he had ever called Mr Fowlds the strong man of the Ministry. He had said and still thought, that he was a dangerous man. As to the Land Bill, Mr Fowlds had displayed either the grossest ignorance or wilful inaccurancy, especially when he said that millions of acres of native lands would be opened under optional system. In regard to his references to the Hinemoa trip, taken by Mr Fowlds and his friends to the Sounds, he only intended asking for a return to see if they had paid the full fare charged, and not only 4s 6d a day for meals, as had been reported. A vote of continued confidence was unanimously carried.