POLITICAL

Taihape Daily Times, 8 September 1919, Page 5

POLITICAL

THE PRIME MINISTER. ’ r “The present Prime Minister fo this country,’,’ said Mr R. Semple (Wellington South), in the House on Friday evening, “has been the implacable foe of the workers of this country.” Mr Semple also said that Mr Massey never could find a good word for the ‘ do\vn—trodden or the oppressed. When they appealed to him he dealt with them by the prison and the club. Mr Massey had spoken against compulSol‘3' arbitration, but in 1913 had mob- " ilised hundreds of special constables ‘ and compelled the workers to accept terms. Then, at one of the mines, ~ where there had been a dispute about - its safety, forty miners were driven into a gasometer and shattered into’ pieces in the Huntly mine. The time had arrived when problems should be _ grappled with by men who were sincere and anxious to do the best thing in the interests of the country. “EAST IS—EAST.” ' In the House of Representatives on L Friday night Mr P. Fraser mistakenly referred to the Hon. Arthur Myers as “the honourable member for Auckland West.” “East,” interjected Mr Myers... “There is no difference,” said Mr ‘ Fraser. “East is east and west is west,,” quoted Mr Myers; “and never '" the twain shall meet,’ supplemented. Mr R. McCallum (Wairau), amidst laughter_ Mr Fraser: “There is notff. much €li.l°fel‘en.s29.l29i?Y€o9..Eh.e .tiYé..1%91&~“’7 ourable members except that one "is a .prohibitionist-..and » the -othereis not-—-~-(laughter) ;——and that one was :1 Minister, and tiie*--o"the_i-3.. would probably like to be..”‘*'.,_-'-(Laughter) ; HABITUAL VTHIRST. V 3 Speaking in the House on" Friday on‘ his New, Protection Bill, Mr R. McCallum (Wairau) said that the State had given the liquor tradersa great monopoly, but it took no steps to ensure that they supplied pure liquor. ‘“‘l would not allow a singlehotelkceper to add a drop of water to any liquor",” he doclared, amid loud laughter. “Let me explain my self, Mr Speaker.” (Renewed laughter.) . ‘An hon. member: “Wouldnt’ you allow them to “break it down?” (Laughter). . Mr G. Witty (Riccarton): Wouldn’t’ you allow . them to break it up?” (Loud laughter.) ‘- Mr Mccallum: I would not trust the whole lot of them. (Laug-hter.) There Were, he added, a few undesirablesin the liquor trade; and if they were al'- I lowed to break it down they might add . some unwholesome substance to it. They might, _for instance, use methylated spirits, which was cheaper than Ordinary spirits, to strengthen brokendown liquor. That was the sort oil thing that created a craving for drink. (Hear, hear.) They heard 7 a great deal from the member for‘ Chl'lStOll‘.ll‘Ch North (Mr L. M. Isitt)? about the habitual drunkard, but he never said anything about the habitual! tllirst_ (Loud laughter.) ‘