THE LATE STRIKE MR. MASSEY'S REPLY TO MR. WEBB

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 9

THE LATE STRIKE MR. MASSEY'S REPLY TO MR. WEBB

( (II IILEGRAPB.--PRESS ASSOCIATION.) TAPANUI, 27th March. In the course of his speech to-night Mr. Massey drew attention to a report of a speech delivered by Mr. Webb at Greymouth, in which Mr. Webb had said that Mr. Massey had approached Mr. Hickey, the " Red Fed. of Waihi," to induce him to stand against the Liberals, but that he had refused absolutely. If that referred to this year, he (Mr. Massey) could give it an unqualified denia?. If it referred to three years ago, until an arrangement could be made with him, as head of the party, no arrangement could be made and he had never heard of anything of the sort. Mr Webb had also said that the money-lending institutions, of which he (Mr.* Massey) was the leader, had had a splendid time last year. The statement was that I he (Mr. Massey) was the director of tha money-lending institutions. Well, -he had been a. money-borrowing institution himself. (LaUghter.) He had not been connected with any money-lend-ing institution except when he app: cached his banker for an overdiaft. (Renewed laughter.) Another statement made by Mr. Webb was that many of the " specials " at the time of the strike were criminals just out of gaol, but when it came to shooting down workers any old thing would do. There were no workers shot down ; there was no shooting so far as he was aware on the pan. of the "specials," but theie was on tne other side. To gay that many of the men were criminals just out of gaol was one of the grossest slanders that could be uttered about as respectable a body of men as , could be got together in any part ofsthe world. He denied a statement made by a Nfcw Zealander in Sydney that nearly all the metropolitan and many country papers weie owned by the Government, and quoted a dozen cases of joui--nals that did not support the Government. Tbe gentleman in question nad I a grudge against the Government. I JJis party meant to win the elections, but he would walk off the Treasury benches to-morrow sooner than descend to tactics that were degrading to every man and woman in the Dominion. (Applause.) In closing Mr. Massey said that the question the electors would have to de--cide at the coming elections was this : Was tbe Government justified in suppressing the industrial strike at the end of last year by the means they adopted ? If the people thought that the Government did right in opening the ports, in restoring commerce, and in setting the industries of the country going again, then let them vote for the Reform candidates, but if they thought the Government did wrong let them vote against the Government. (Applause.)