TWELVE YEARS AS PRIME MINISTER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2757, 12 July 1924, Page 3

TWELVE YEARS AS PRIME MINISTER.

+ MR. MASSEY'S HONOURABLE RECORD. COXCinTULATIONS AND CONFIDENCE. The Right Hon. W. "F. Massey comnleled his twelfth year as Prime Minister of New Zealand on Thursday. The following resolution, passed by (he Reform Party was announced : “That the members of the Reform Party in Parliament desire to conv to the Right Hon. Mr Massey, their hearty congratulations on this the twelfth anniversary of the day on which lie took office as Prime Minister of New Zealand and to express their entire confidence in him as their leader.” Replying to the House on Thursday night, to a circular read by Mr Lee, which suggested the formation of a new ministry composed of Reform and Liberal members and the dropping of Mr Massey, the latter said he desired to correct a paragraph in tlie document which stated that it was pointed out to him that if he remained in office it might result in the Labour Party getting into power and his reply was: “I prefer the Labour Party to the Liberals.”

Mr Holland: “Do you deny that?” Mr Massey: “I want to say that the statement as typed in'the document. is an unqualified falsehood, worthy of Ananias himself, and the proof is that on several occasions when T have had the opportunity of speaking- to the Party 1 lead( and no more loyal party ever followed a leader in this world) T have told them from time to time that I am quite prepared to stand aside and assist them in selecting a man to c:irr\ on the work done.and worthy of the position they intended to occupy.” “The proposed Cabinet as suggested in the circular which was imtied as a joke by the House read : Hon G. Coates, Prime Minister; Mi T. M. Wilford, Attorney-Genet - and deputy Leader of (he House; Hon. W. Downie Stewart, Hon. A. T. Ngata, Messrs J. A. Nash, R. Masters, G. W. Forbes, F. J. Rolleston, J. A. Young, W. .1. Girling, W. .J. Veitcli and Sir John Luke.