THE UNKNOWN HAND."

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 188, 9 August 1924, Page 12

THE UNKNOWN HAND."

AN ANONYMOUS CIRCULAR.

ATTACK ON THE PREMIER

EEPITDIATIOX BY MR. MASSEY. n>_v Teli-sraph.—SiwtoJ to "Star."! WELLIXGTOX. Friday. "The circular is libellous and scanda- ].>'.<•. and it i; another instance of what '•'■"'- ]>''■■:''■<■ l'it-u ■■'!' this loiuitry liav.' got :■■ .-.intend with from the unknown a>l.l. ■ declared Mr. .1. A. Nash in the llun-e ii'-;iigbt in reference to the New Zealand League's second circular. A Member: It is an anonymous docuVir. Xn-k said :' ; at was so. He tiiOiigh; ii unfortunate that politics nad been reduced to such a state that mcnil.Pr* i.f the Ilou-e should have lecoiui] circulars of that kind. The letter stated that Mr. Maguey's objeclii'ti in amalgamation was dictated -duly by a seliish desire for power, ..ml i oralis to mind iin outburst of temper cm the art of tho IVemier at an alleged interview. Mr. Massey had stated ii". the House that no blleh interview took pliif.-. and Mr. Xash was satisfified to accept hL» word. The allegation in the • •ircular that Mr. Mas-ey had instructed officers to impress upon immigrants that llu-y must support the Reform Government wa = absolutely untrue. Mr. Xash waii satislied that Mr. Massey had never l«>en a party to such a suggestion. Mr. Monteii.h: He will lie able to answer for himself. Mr. Xash: What party in the Hou.=e would he guilty of such am act? Much ,i, he distrusted the Labour party, he did not believe if it were in power tomorrow their leader would stoop so low in a matter of that sort. Reform Members: Hear, hear. Dealing further with the circular Mr. Xash said that if Mr. Massey was in the power of the great monopolist interests he would never have introduced tlie amendment made to the State Advances last year. Without douut the circular was one of the most scurrilous ever printed, and if t!'ise concerned had any backbone ut all the;/ would come out into the open and let tlie public knew who they were. (Ilear, hear). But they were afraid to disclose their identity. Tt wa.s regrettable that any man, or men, with any self-respect would lower themselves to the depths to ■which they had descended in sending out this circular. lie would leave it at that.

The Premier also referred to the circular, declaring that he was obliged to the member for Palmerston for his references. It was quite usual for a Promier to be attacked, and on this occasion the attack was anonymous. A statement was made that he was interviewed by some organisation, which he believed to be a bogus organisation which had no existence. He knew of no such interview, and he knew when a public man was attacked on the system of shooting from behind a hedge or stabbing in the back, that such tactics did not commend themselves to the great bulk of the public. (Oeneral hear, liears). "Whatever my sins and shortcomings," concluded Mr. Massey, "ray ambition lias' been throughout my career that when I go out I shall leave behind a record that the members of my family and the friends who have stood by mc all these years need not be ashamed of." Who was the Author? Subscqucntlv a passing eference to immigration led the Premier to again mention the anonymous circular. The statement regarding inducing immigrants to vote for the Government was untrue, he said, in every syllable, and he rauld not imagine anj* person believing a word of it.

Mr. Holland: AVould you mind telling us who was responsible?

Mr. Massey: I can pick it in two, but the time has not come to make public the names of these people. When lit comes I will have no hesitation in doing