A PIECE OF SPARRING.

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 87, 9 October 1920, Page 6

A PIECE OF SPARRING.

The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition crossed swords in th 9 House of Representatives yesterday, when Mr. Wilford was speaking on the Loan Bill. He was referring to the Government purchase of estates for soldier settlement, and said that the Prime Minister boasted of the 20,000 subdivisions that had been made, but when, he was asked how many settlers that meant he did not answer. Mr. Massey : "How many settlers hare you put on your land?" Mr. Wilford : "I don't understand the hon. gentleman." Mr. Massey: "The hon. gentleman knows perfectly well that he is a landowner." Mr. Wilford : "I leased a large block of land, if that is what ,you mean; but I sold that at the beginning of the year. . That is what paid for my trip to America. lam afraid that the hon. gentleman was too late with his point." Mr. Massey : "I hear so much from men who talk about profiteering in land and are not above doing it themselves." Mr. Wilford: "That is the general method of the hon. gentleman. When he gets stuck for an answer he becomes, personal. But as lam occupying an official position as Leader of this party, I cannot indulge in personalities in the same way. It does not raise the tone of the House. As I cannot follow the hon. gentleman into the domain of personalities, I propose to discuss the Bill." Mr. Massey : "Well. I hope the hon. gentleman will avoid unfair insinuations."