MR. MASSEY REPLIES TO BALCLUTHA SPEECH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 109, 8 May 1912, Page 3

MR. MASSEY REPLIES TO BALCLUTHA SPEECH.

"A MISERABLE QUIBBLE." AUCKLAND, 7th May. Referring to the Premier's epeech at Balclutha, Mr. Massey said what Mr. Mackenzie did afc Balclutha was to give a quotation 'from, an anonymous letter which he says appeared in a London financial journal, and he did not even give the name of the journal. Hie reply wm a, miserable quibble, and ho (Mr. Maasey) repeated his former reply, that aiiy statement that any member of the Opposition attempted to injure the credit of the country in a-ny way was absolutely contrary to fact. Th© knowledge that the five million loan, had been floated in London came to the House as a surprise, and outside Cabinet not a eingle member of Parliament had the slightest idea of the intention of the Government to place such a large loan upon the money market at a time. There was nothing else m Mr. Mackenzie's speech except the mere point that Mr. Mackenzie «aid he (Mr. Maasey) had eaid, "A Mackenzie could alway6 be bought." To this Mr. Massey replied : "Ifc ie a paltry thing in the extreme, and ifc is also untrue. As a matter of fact 1 have cent a telegram to Mr. Mackenzie as follows : 'Will you give me your authority for your statement that I said a Mackenzie could always be bought?'" Mr. Ma«jey added that Mr. Malcolm, M.P. for Clutha, would reply to Mr. Mackenzie at Balclutha.