AN ANGRY SCENE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 284, 30 November 1910, Page 5

AN ANGRY SCENE.

MR. TAYLOR RAISES A STORM. SCURRILOUS PAMPHLET DENOUNCED. MB. MASSBT INDIGNANT. . MR. TAYLOR THREATENED. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. An angry scene occurred in, the House this morning, when Mr. T. E. Taylor took up the cudgels in defence of the Premier against recent attacks through the irfedium of some scurrilous literature. Mr. Taylor said there was a spirit of malignity and hostility to the Liberal party in this country's Conservative journals, which rendered it impossible to go to their columns for an impartial view on any political question. Lately there had been in circulation the moat discreditable piece of literature that had ever been circulated in connection with New Zealand's politics. The pamphlet in question was designed to injure politically a man -with -whom he (Mr. Taylor) was in frequent disagreement (the Prime Minister). The pamphlet waa the greatest scandal that had ever occurred. Whether Opposition members approved of it he did not know. (Opposition dissent.) It was quite certain, however, that the pamphlet was 'being received with gleeful approval by thousands of people who supported Opposition in this country. It had 'been approved by men who hoped that it was going to have a destructive effect against the man at •whom it was aimed. The kind of publication to which he had referred was being received with approver by certain newspapers in New Zealand, whfch placed no restriction upon, political hostility. Several Opposition members demanded, "Name! Name one!" Mri Taylor replied that he would. He had scarcely ever picked up a copy of the Opposition paper in Wellington that did not contain most undulterated poison with regard to political views. Mr. Anderson, in a. loud interjection, declared this to be a lie—a. statement ■which he was compelled to withdraw. TBie Speaker had repeatedly to call members. to order for interjecting, and he at last threatened to name the next offender. Mr. Massey said the speech of the member for Christchurch North had been a weak and hopeless apology for the Government. The tactics of the member in question were well-known. They talked of "attacking a dead man." It was not so long ago since Mr. Taylor bad made an attack upon a man whose boots he was not fit to clean. Mr. Taylor's political history proved that he was a curse to any party to which he belonged. It was beciuie- of his attack on the late Mr. Seddon, and a mistaken idea that the Opposition sympathised with him, that the Opposition party had been squashed at elections five years ' ago. Mr. Taylor's attack upon Mr. Seddon was disgraceful. The attempt to make believe that the Opposition was in any way associated with the wretched pamphlet issued concerning the Prime Minister was despicable. Any man asserting that the Opposition had any thing to do with it was guilty of deliberate falsehood. Mr. McKenzie: Who paid for publication of the pamphlet? Mr. Massey: It was published by _ a man named Black who runs a Socialist ■paper in Auckland. Mr. McLaren: And who. is behind him? Mr. Maseey. You probably know as much about that, as I do. Returning to his attack on Mr. Taylor, Mr. Massey asked were that gentleman's hands clean? He (Mr. Massey) wasi behind the scenes when a famous case in Christchurch arose. If it over fell to his (Mr. Massey's) lot to be in a position to tell all he knew about Mr. Taylor in connection with that case, then God help him! Mr. Taylor: I challenge you to say now anytliing yon know about mc. A member: What about innuendoes now? Mr. Massey: If I ever get permission to unseal my lips I will go to Christchurch and say what I have to say from the platform. If that day comes it will be the end of your political life. ( Mr. Taylor: If you could have done anything it would have been done long ago.