"NOW WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1131, 19 May 1911, Page 4

"NOW WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE."

ME, MASSEY GETS HOME OX ME. FOWLDS.

(By TelDEraph.-EDCcial Correspondent.) Auckland, liny IS. In renlv to a question from a "Herald reporter Vday.as to whether hepni; poied to reply to the Hon. Oeo. F°»ldss sixteen at Mekohe, Mr. Massey (Leader otthe. Opposition) »id .that he won d address his conMituen s m the ordinan course. Ho had already, during the prosent recess, addressed four nice ings in the Franklin electorate, and h6 wo id deliver further addresses before the House met. . . , . , r From the Opposition point of view Mr. Fowlds's speech, ho said, was the most valuable that had been delivered for years past, inasmuch as (speaking as a member of tho -Ministry) he had thrown off the mask, and had, openly advocated the principles of the sinslc lax. Henry George had said that the single tax would abolish all taxes, save a tax upon trie value of land, nnd then went on to say that, under the single tax, what tho farmer who owned his own farm would lows would be tho selling value of his Mr. Massev said: "Now wo know where we are, and what the farmers have to expect from Mr. Fowlds, and his colleagues, and, not only the Iranklin farmers, but the farmers all ow New Zealand. The statement tlmt the single taxer does not propose to tax land, but onlv tho value of land, is a mmrnblo quibble, which will mislead no one. "Aβ for my injuriim the credit of the country," Mr. Massey continued, the people who aTe injuring tho credit of the country aro tho people whoso reckless and extravagant methods make it necessary to borrow over six millions in one year, and draw a million extra from tho pockets of the people, but whflt could bo worse than this:— "'Supposing that Parliament stopped making provision for all those works, what would happen? Within two or throe months half tho business people in tho country 'would bo insolvent, and two-tliinls of tho men now in employment would bo out of work.' "That statement was made by the Minister for Finance at Devonport, practically saying that half the business men and two-thirds of the workers are living on borrowed money. I considor that was tho worst thing ever said of New Zealand, and it was said by the Prime Minister. "Yes, I will reply later on," said Mr, Massey, in conclusion, "but I want to make this offer: I will make one to refund to tho State the travelling expenses and-travelling allowances drawn by Mr. Fowlds, if he will redeliver the Pukokoho speech in every electorate of New Zealand, becauss I am certain that nothing would injure the Government so much, or so materially assist the real friends of the country—the Opposition party—in Parliament."