MURPHY’S SONG

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 317, 30 March 1928, Page 1

MURPHY’S SONG

FARMER AND ECONOMIST LABOUR DELEGATES’ THRUST (Prom Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. One of the bright moments at the National industrial Conference to-day was at the close of Mr. W. J. Poison’s speech. “Mr. Chairman,” said Mr. James Roberts in his characteristic drawl, “this reminds me of an old song—‘Murphy Will Not Sing To-night.’” (Daughter.) Mr. Henderson, Christchurch, wanted to know what was the inference in Mr. Roberts’s remarks. “The inference,” said Mr. Roberts, “is that Mr. Poison has been quoting large pieces of Professor Murphy’s address.” There was an unexpected and sharp division of opinion as to whether Mr. Poison should reply at once to the hundreds of questions which were hurled at him, or be given time tomorrow. The Babour wing was against the adjournment, Mr. Roberts remarking in an Irish w-hisper that he saw no reason “why Professor Murphy should answer the questions.” The matter went to a vote of the conference and the four professors of economics voted with the employers for the adjournment. Rabour was unanimously opposed to it. At that moment someone unkindly raised the question of whether the professors possessed a vote, which brought Professor Murphy and Professor Fisher to their, feet protesting that they would not be treated as nonentities. The motion was carried, though by a small margin, and the conference returned to the consideration of reports.