MR. MASSEY IN REPLY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1179, 14 July 1911, Page 6

MR. MASSEY IN REPLY.

CRITICS ANSWERED. REMINDERS FOR THE UOX. R. M'KENZIE. The Loader of (he Opposition, Mr. W. Y. Massey, passed through Wellington on his way north yesterday, hi conversation with a Domixiox reporter, Mr. Masscy remarked that he was very satisfied with the demonstration of public feeling which had been manifested at his meeting at Christchiireh the other evening. Ho regrcited exceedingly that the suiallncss of tue hall, whicn only accommodated l'.'Ot) ami tliv hu(jo crowd, wliicti nuuiMereU something ln;o 4000, madn it impossible for him io address lliu meeting. io liavo done so would have been dauyerous lruui the point oi view ol public safety. Jlu had been greatly impressed, by the gathering, whicu was not by any means an unlnendty one, and his only regret was that ho had not been able to take advantage of such a good opportunity of addressing the Christchurcn public. He was on the stuge for about a quarter of an hour—no more—aud during that time one woman in the crowd fainted and had to bo carried out; another was crushed, aud also had to bo taken away, while in another part of the hall a bench collapsed. Fortunately no ouo was hurt, although there were two or three very narrow escapes. In one corner, of the hall a scuffle which amounted to'a free fight took place, during which one man lashed out at another in order to protect a lady from being crushed against a wall. There was no doubt, said Mr. Massoy, that the situation was such that any alarm would have been followed by a serious panic, attended with loss of life, and under theso circumstances the meeting was postponed. "I intend to go down to Christchurch sometime early in the sessiou and keep my promise to address tho public in that city," Mr.- Massey added.

Reply to Newspaper Criticism. Mr. Massey remarked that his attention had been drawn to certain criticisms which had been levelled at him in the editorial columns of the Ministerial organ in Wellington yesterday, "i have had to correct so many misrepresentations on the,part of the "Ministerial press that 1 leel very much inclined to let this latest ebullition go and lca've the public to estimate the statements at their true value. 1 should like to say this, however, that when dealing with figures I make it an invariable rule to kci-p well inside tho 'mark. When my figures with regard to Native lands were cliallcnged I flus able to show that I had quoted lrom an official return, which apparently Sir James Carroll has overlooked. Again, in stating tlio .ituouiit of public debt during a recent address 1 based my figures on tho last official returns, which placed tiie Dominion's indebtedness at <£":! 13s. 9d. per head. As a matter of fact, taking the population as being one million, and our total indebtedness .£81,000,000, tho debt per head is £Sl per head, and even that estimate is understating the case. The same paper, quoting from my remarks, mentions tho fnct that I stated that 03 per cent, of our loan was reproductive. This is what I said at Hastings a fortnight ago. Last week, this paper says, I said that the percentage yas G6 per cent, of the total. This of course is a misprint, with which I havo nothing to do, but I simply mention this as a proof that there can ho very little to find fault with when my critics have to meet the case out of such material •

"Further," continued Mr. Massey, "this paper alleges that I and my followers opposed tho Government with regard to land for settlement—a statement which is absolutely contrary to fact. We have always stood for closer settlement and f-e----curity of tenure. Our complaint is this: The. Government has not done enough with regard to opening up lands for settlement. Finally, it is complained by this paper that I voted against the Public Debt Extinction Act last year. 1 did; hut not on account of tho sinking fund proposals—but becauso,; I fused to accede to tho placing of such powers in the hands of the Government as would enable them to take possession of sinking funds set apart for paying off old war loans and some Government loans, to local bodies."

A Tilt at Hon. R. M'Kcnzie. Mr. Massey then touched on certain points in the address which had been delivered by the Minister for Public Works (Hon. R. M'Kensiio) at Wakefield on Wednesday night. "I notice," said Mr. Massey, "that the Hon. Mr. M'Kcnzie makes a parade of the number of articles (which he, details) removed- from the dutiable list to tho free list. One of the items which ho mentions is fencing wire. The Minister boasts that fencing wire, which had previously carried a very heavy duty, is now free. I should like to remind the Minister that fencing wire was placed on the frco list on my own motion as far back, I think, as 1595. This motion, I should like to point out, was voted against by every member of the Ministry, but was still carried by a considerable majority. I did not intend to refer to this, but since tho hon. gentleman has paraded tho virtue of his party so liberally, I take this opportunity of reminding him that my motion on that occasion resulted in a saving of ..filo.OOO to the agricultural community. I should also like to draw the Minister's attention to the fact, easily capable of proof by tho Act of 1007. that so far as dairying and mining machinery are concerned, quite a number of articles which were formerly free are now dutiable. He says that the remission of duties on agricultural, dairying, gas-making, mining, wood-working, and woollen milling machinery, which paid from 5 to 20 per cent, to free has resulted in a loss to the Tevenue of ,£95,223, which is equal to suggesting that all machinery for these industries is free. I can give the Minister a list of dairying and mining machinery which are dutiable at the present time, and if he challenges this, I am prepared to produce such a list iu the House. I am not surprised, added Mr. Massoy, after what has taken place during tho Inst: few weeks, to hc-ir of the Minister boasting that the duty on motor-car chassis has been knocked 'out. and that, these are now free. Not at all surprised."

Mr. Massey next turned his attention to the Hon. Mr. M'Kenzic's reference to an expenditure of .6150 in (he Franklin electorate. The best reply to the statement of the Minister on 'this particular matter would be, said Mr. Massey, to publish the whole of the correspondence on the subject for the enlightenment of the public, and possibly of tho lion. Rcntlemau. "I liavp already stated on tho platform," said Mr. Massey, "with regard lo n certain depubtiou '{introduced by a private individual) which waited on' the Prinio Minister in connection with this matter of .£l5O grant for an urgontlyneetled road in. my electorate, that 'i wrote to the Prim<! Minister at a month before he lefr. for England, asking at the instance of the local body for an explanation of Hint particular .6150 grant. I Rot no reply. Tho point I make, and am prepared tn stand bv, is that no money should be printed for public works in this wav without the knowledge of the member of Parliament for the district or of tho local body of .the districtOtherwise it wild be impossible to main, tain an effective check upon improper expenditure."