PRIME MINISTER’S POSITION.

Shannon News, 12 June 1923, Page 4

PRIME MINISTER’S POSITION.

AT IMPERIALCGHFEREHOE. LABOUR LEADER FAVOURS REPRESENTATION.

CHRISTCHURCH, Hast Night. Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., in an address in the Trades Hall, last’ night, said he proposed to deal with the ex- I pressed intention of Mr Massey to go to the imperial Conference, not as a delagate from New Zealand, but' as a dictator. He (the speaker) did not think such a position was right, because whatever Mr Massey had claimed before the last election, he could not now hold that he represented the majority of the people of New Zealand Even if Mr Massey did repre S nine-tenth, of the people. he j should not adopt such an at " However, he held office as dictator of the people and had secured office on a minority vote. If Mr Massey did go Home, he should certainly take with him instructions as to New Zealand s attitude with regard to the questions to be discussed at the Confeience. knew Mr Massey would oppose this contention, and would hold out in the position of a dictator, but the people of New Zealand should not

allow such a course to be pursued Mr Massey should certainly carry wi I him very definite instructions especially with regard to the Treaty of Versailles. I Mr Holland deprecated any attempt to shorten the coming session to enable Mr Massey to attend the Confe - ence The session should be continued after he had left the Dominion. The trouble was, said Mr Holland, that Mr Massey’s majority m the H was so small, and of so 'J™*** * nature, that the Prime Minister did not think that a majority would be maintained unless he were P res ® nt t ° see to it himself. Mr Massey, had said New Zealand was financially the soundest country in the world, things were so satisfactory, w Y could not the sesison continue after. Mr Massey left? Mr Massey should be instructed to promote the establishment of intimate relations with Russia. Personally, said Mr Holland, he was not opposed to New Zealand being represented at the Imperial Conference, and if a Labour Government were m power, he would favour New Zealand being represented at every one of them, but New Zealand’s representative should certainly take with him instructions regarding the will of the people on various questions of the day.