PREMIER REFUTED

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1284, 13 November 1911, Page 4

PREMIER REFUTED

BY PLAIN FACTS. THE ADVANCES TO WORKERS ACI. ITS TRUE HISTORY. (By Teleiriph.— Special Correspondents Auckland, November 11. At a largoly-attended mceiiug of tho Auckland executive of the Political lieform I/cague, lieM on Friday evening, attention was drawn to the glaring misflatuinenls of fact Hint arc continually l/'-iiiS made by Ministers of tho Cl'Jwu in discuwins the actions and policy of londliiß members of tho Opposition party. Keerat utterances mad'i by the Prime Minister nt Winton, and by-the AttorneyOoiicrnl at I'mnell, were oiled as instances of (he unfair nnd intemperate criticisms lo which Mr. Ma«*y and hie party arc subjcolml. Upon duo consideration of the facts it was decided to enter an emphatic protect against those continuous misrepresentations. As a sample of tho sort of argument that is being employed., it was further resolved lo call attentiOTi lo tbe actual facts connected with Mr. Mnsseys claim lo bo regarded ns the originator of tho Advances to Workm-s' Act, which the I'rimo Minister denies. As reported by tho Press Association, tho Prime Minister, speaking at Winton on lumday, Noveml>er 7, taii: "As to tho Advances to Workers Act, tho Leader of the Opposition said he woe responsible for Iliis. That was not correct. Anyone who looked up the records would find that the. Government stated in the Governor's Speech that they proposed lo submit legislation for advances to worker*. After that intention of the Government therein clearly 6tated, tho Loader of tlio Opposition moved an amendment .to include workers to the extent of .£250,000 oa an Advances to Settlers Bill."

The Reform League executive, having examined the official records, find 6 :— (1) That the folo reference to workers in the Governor's Speech of 1908 (apart from references to the labour law*) is contained in tho following passage: "Tho buildings in course of cection at Pctono and Auckland for workers' dwellings are. being rapidly pushed forward, and others will follow in different parts of the colony as .circumstances require." (2) That on Soptetnl>er 25. 19(K>, in Comniittee on the Government Advances to Settlers Hill, Mr. Massey moved the addition of (he following new clause:— "When a loan is required for tho erection of buildings on urban or suburban land which is not subject to any other encumbrances, the cost of erection (not exceeding .£.IOO on the whole, and not exceeding four times the value o-f tho land), may, in the. discretion of tho board, bo advanced by instalments as the erection of the buildings proceeds." "(3) Up to this time there bad been no intimation on the part of the Government of its intention (o extend the system to workers. Mr. Massey's amendment was opposed by Sir Joseph Ward, Sir Jas. Carroll, Mr. 'Miller, Mr. Fowlds, Mr. Buddo, Mr. Nguta, Mr. M'Nab, and the whole rank and file of tho Government party. (4) The Government Advances to Workers' Bill was not brought down nntil tho following month, and Mr. A. I?. Barclay, in commenting upon the action of the Ward Government in the Dunedin "Star" of September 19, as a former member of the House and supporter of the Ward Government, stated.— "Mr. Massoy clearly was the first to urge the Government advances to workers. Why attempt to deny the fact that tho Ward Government wore not the originators of the scheme? True, they carried out tho proposal, but I fear ralhpr because they were driven to do so by Mr. Massey's action. They did it because, in a sense, they were compelled by Mr. Massey's action. From this point of view it might even be argued that wo owe t.ho existence of the Advanoos to Workers Act on tho Statute Book to Mr. Massoy." The Reform League Executive commend these facts to* tho earnest coisideration of the public. Other matters lo which attention might bo directed have been doalt with-by Mr. Massey himself, and l>y Mr. James Allen, the gentlemen who Iwivo oaino in for the.fiercest criticism and misrojiroSen'hitfbn , at 'the lianas of the Minister referred to.