MR. MASSEY AND THE CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 534, 15 June 1909, Page 5

MR. MASSEY AND THE CONFERENCE.

: - : FURTHER LIGHT. ■: A little further light was shed,on the suggestion i: that Mr. Massey, should attend the Naval Conference by a personal explanation which the Leader of the Opposition made yesterday afternoon. .. ■..'..•. : . ■, ''• ' ■ Mr. Reed (Bay of, Ishinds) had quoted an extract from the Auckland. "Herald 1, on this subject, 'and Mr. Massey explained that he wafS not responsible for the whole of. the statements quoted. - > . ■' ..' ■' • He was waited upon, he said, by a gentleman, who was acting as a sort of ambassador or intermediary, at his home. in.the Auckland district. This gentleman, was exceedingly anxions that Mr.,Mas6ey should say he would be willing to accept an invitation to attend -the conference. . They discussed the positron at very great length .at Mr. Massey's home, and, finally the gentleman said,^''Have you-, got'anything that I can give the ; pap. OTS?" , Mr- .Massey replied that there: was just one point which he desired to omphasiso. Ho was strongly in favour of going'on with the business of. the session,, and if that .was agreed to, "Thon my place ■is hore, make no mistako about that." On returning to Auckland the must have seen a newspaper roporter, for in the "Herald" the liext day an article appeared containing thifi statement, with the following' footnote;.; for whip'a Mr. Massey was in'no way'_ responsible :-'-"It is'antipipated iihat if it is .Shown that it 1 is.the general desire that the House shoiiid adjourn, and that Mr. Massey should go'to. Ehglanfl, he ; will agree to that proposal." Mr. Massey repeated that ho did not see any reporter .himself, and he did' not give the gentleman who interviewed him the' impression conveyed by this last statement. Ho was liot in the habifc of shirking his duty wherever it might be, but if he had had any douW as to his duty with regard to this suggestion, it would have beon dispelled \by tho publioatiou of-the dispatches, which stated that the cojiference would bo one of Defence Ministers and defence experts. Ho was neither a DcfonceMiiiistor nor a defence expert, and when ho read these dispatches ho at onoo lot 'the'press of tho.rouptr) - know that.he. was jiot going to' England even if the "opportunity carao along' . . ' Mr. Eced said ho dW not mean to imply that' Mn. Massey bad used the final statement in the "Herald.". , ■ ;, Mr. Massey said ho was very glad to hear .it. -'■■■■.■■ ' "'.■ % ' ' A '. i ,