MR PAUL REPLIES

Evening Star, Issue 16992, 14 March 1919, Page 8

MR PAUL REPLIES

CENSURES “CAREL CROSS.” ANSWERS MR BLACK’S QUESTIONS. In tho course of an address at the Oddfellows’ Hall, Caversbam, last night the Hon. J. T. Paul replied to strictures by “Carol Gross” in our ‘By the Way’ column, and dealt roughly and personally with our contributor. He went on to say that in the ‘ Star ’ that evening this gentleman took under his wing Mr W. P. Black, who was named the president of the National Labor party. The National Labor party was a (using the ill-sounding slang term for blackleg) organisation, formed to disrupt the New Zealand Labor party. “ Care I Cross ” published the questions this gentleman asked him (the speaker) in the Christchurch ‘Sun.’ “Carol Cross” did not use the questions ho himself had put Mr Black in tho ‘ Daily Times,’ as ho would hare done had ho wished to act fairly. One of the questions he had put to Mr Black was whether he was identical with the W. P. Black who published the ‘ Leader,’ and if he were tho same man why ifid he traduce in his paper the moderate members of the party ? To-day this Mr Black was posing as the saviour of New Zealand from the Bolsheviks like himself. But he (Mr Paul) was not a Bolshevist, and all he said was that the people of this country did not know enough about what the Bolshevists stood for to say whether they believed from A to Z in the gospels of such Mr Paul proceeded to read tho epithets, “ slimy creature,” etc., applied by the journal referred to to Jack Carey, who, bo said, had been his friend, and who, volunteering and going to the front, had gone “ over the top ” and was dead now. This was tho sort of man (meaning Mr Black) who was to save New Zealand from the extreme party, and this was the sort of man tho “Carol Crosses” were supporting. He would answer the questions put by Mr Black. He asked : “By what means, and upon precisely what pledges and promises,, did the lion. Mr Paul secure nomination to tho Upper House from the Liberal party, and a reappointment from the Reform party?” He would answer that lie was appointed to lopiesent Labor —that he was put in the Upper House to promote the principles and policy of the organised workers, and not the principles and policies ol the Liberal party. The Reform party reappointed him. and be occupied tb© same position towards them. bmrely, aftei bavin" been in tho Legislative Council so° manv vears, and having enjoyed the confidence of the organised workers, it was sufficient answer tc say that he was appointed as a Labor representative. and therefore it was not necessary for him to give any pledge to support either tho Liberal or the Reform party. Then Mr Black asked for a sUilenient showing v-bat sums ho had received from the movement during 18 years, offering himself to do the same, and leave t:ic workers to judge their respective disinterestedness. In answer to that he \vou,d sav that he could not provide such a detailed statement. His extended over 20 years, and he had received sums from the movement; but it had nothing to do with Mr Black or anyone else but the Labor movement. Labor had been prepared to make payment for certain duties, and he had no doubt he had received more money than Mr Blacky Mr Black was not in the confidence of the Labor movement, nor was he associated with anv organised body of workers. Next, Mr Black asked was he prepared to repudiate tho political and economic views

of Messrs Semple, Fraser, and Holland? It would be pure impertinence to say ho repudiated their views. No man believed absolutely in the political and economic views of another man. Messrs Holland. Semple, and Fraser, did not agree with all his views, and ho did not agree with all their views. But the point was that they were all united to support the platform of Labor. Again, Mr Black asked would ho disown the disloyal and seditious ‘ Maoriland Worker’ as the official organ of his party? Ho was president of the New Zealand Labor party, and it was the conference of the party that decided this question. They decided what paper should be the official organ and what paper should not have official support. Yet again, he was asked if ho repudiated Bolshevism, Spartacism, Sinn Tfeinism, the strike, go-slow policy, sabotage, or force of any kind? He had already made his position clear. The Labor party of New Zealand were a constitutional parly, and the practices and principles of the parties named were not the practices of the New Zealand Labor party. Their responsibility was to win for this country the best possible Government, and their responsibility was not to govern Russia, Germany, or Ireland. Finally, he was asked if, being the president of a party advocating the abolition of the Upper House, ho would resign bis seat at the coming election and contest with Mr Black any Dunedin seat, letting the workers decide between them He would like to say that the greatest “ cake-walk ” he could have would be for Mr Black and him to have a square run for any Dunedin seat. But he knew Mr Black's game. Ho wished to split the Labor vote, and give a seat to the political enemies of Labor. “ Let me say this, however,” concluded the hon. gentleman, “that I am at the service of the party, and if the party say ‘yon can_do better work outside the Legislative Council,’ I shall not hesitate one moment to agree with the decision of the party and to resign rnv seat. ’ Mr Paul’s remarks were punctuated throughout by applause.