MR. WILFORD AMPLIFIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 799, 23 April 1910, Page 6

MR. WILFORD AMPLIFIES.

The "tail and the ' dog" argument was resumed by Mr. Wiiford in liiß address at Northland last evening. "I am going to simply overwhelm the remarks of my opponent in reference to, that matter," he declared, "by adding an extra, bit of proof every night. I will add f to-night a .memo, on the subject from another member, of the Harbour Board.','-Before adding the memo. Mr. Wiiford- described his attitude towards the betteriient. clause in the same way as in his previous address. He added that when Parliament was deluged with objections to the clause he determined to oppose the dropping of it tooth and nail. The day tho Bill came before Parliament he was still lighting for the clause, in spite of protests, and when he said "with regard to the betterment clause, I drop uiat Mr- Speaker, and move the rest of the im ' r ,.„ mem ° ers wer ® ■ dumbfounded, llie Bill went clean through, aind he got for the city of Wellington all he wanted. When Mr. Crawford said that it was a two millions Bill instead of a milhon BiH he thought that he had not read it yet. Moreover, apart' from the betterment clause, when the' Bill that Mr. Crawford fought wont on to the statute book something else disappeared. He. did not think'that .Mr. Crawford had noticed the difference Mr. Wiiford then read the following memo, from Mr. Bolton, ' written just before the latter left Wellington on a health cruise"Wellington, April 2L 1910.—Memorandum for Mr. Wiiford.— I was a strong advocate for the betterment principle, and wished such principle embodied in the million loan Bill You had charge of that Bill in ment, andij declined to take charge of that Bill unless authority was given you to drop the betterment clause when you deemed it advisable. Tho author' '*/ drop the betterment clauso out of tho Bill was given to yon, and you took charge of the same Bill on that express condition, and you were vested with that authority during the time Mr. Crawford was opposing- the Bill and though you .didn't drop that clauso till the last moment, I for one quite appreciate the/reason for your line of action. The Bill was the million loan Bill, not the two million loan Bill. The result of the board's determined attitude was that tho Miramar Borough Council had to pay £5000 in cash and hand over £4000 worth of land, which but for the attitude of you. myself, and certain other members of the board would never have boon effected,—l<\ ti' Bolton,"- , 1