TWO INTERVIEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 107, 2 November 1908, Page 4

TWO INTERVIEWS.

BOTH SIDES OF POLITICS. MR. ,W. F. MASSEY.. [BY TELEGRAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Ist November. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. W. F. Massey) was interviewed here toSECOND BALLOT. ""** Asked for his impressions of the Prime I Minister's speech in answer to his (Mr. Massey's) at Temuka, the Leader of the I Opposition said that Sir Joseph Ward appeared anxious to give the audience the impression that because lte (Mr. Massey) expressed an opinion some years ago to the effect that no candidate should be elected until he received the votes of a majority of the electors,, he (Mr. Massey) should, therefore, be in favour of the Second Ballot Act. The Second Ballot Act was something very different to what the speakor had in his mind at tho time. What he was in favour of was a system of proportional representation. ROADS AND BRIDGES. " In referring to the present system of Parliamentary grants for roads and bridges, the Prime Minister convicted himself out of his own mouth, when he said that certain members metaphorically slept on the Ministers' doorstep to prefer requests for, votes for their own electorates. No other statement than that of the Prime Minister was required to show the unfortunate position the members wei - e placed in by the present system, which Ministers were- so anxious to adhere to." , PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD. Referring to the Opposition proposal for a Public Service Board, Sir Joseph Ward said it meant handing over millions of" the public estate to an autocracy which would not be controlled by any authority. It seemed that the Prime Minister hardly understood what was meaat by the proposal. Such a board would have nothing to do with the public estate, but would simply have in its hands the appointment of persons required for the public service. The idea was that the board would make such appointments, according to the merits of the candidates, and thus political influence would be kept in the background. THE LAND QUESTION. It was all very well for the Premier to say «that land nationalisation was not possible here. "If he really wants to stop land nationalisation," said Mr. Massey, " let him introduce a Bill giving the freehold option over the lands concerned, and I promise him the support of every member in the House. I MORTGAGE TAX. " With regard to the mortgage-tax," said Mr. Massey, " I think from his remarks tha Prime Minister hardlyunderstood the point I was dealing with. What I complained of was that money lent on the security of land paid a special tax, and that that fact had had the effect of making money dearer to the borrower. The Prime Minister's statement that a company would pay an income.-tax of £50 and a private individual £250 on an income of £10,000 is \ nonsensical. LICENSING BOOKMAKERS. " In connection with< the new Gaming Act, the Premier stated that the repeal of the clause relative to the compulsory ' licensing, of bookmakers would entail the abolition of the totalisator. That is not the case. The totalisator would not .be affected in the slightest, and as a fact it is not touched by the Act of ' 1907. • PUBLIC REVENUES ACT. In support of his previous statement, whicli the Premier denied, thut under the Public Revenues Act money could be transferred from one purpose to another, Mr. Ma&sey quoted Section 4 of tho Act, which, he said, spoke for itself. So far as the reform of the Upper Housa was concerned, he said he would like see it elected on a system of proportional representation.