THE OTHER SIDE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14689, 25 May 1911, Page 6

THE OTHER SIDE.

BOUND BY A PLEDGE.

[HY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORJIESrO.VDEXT.J

Wellington-. Wednesday.

"I have just a few words to say in reply to I lie latest outpourings of" this Hon. G. Fowlds." said Mr. Massey to iv representative of the Dominion to-day, referring to a statement of the Minister for Education published in the New Zealand Times. "Mr. ton-Ids refers. to my vote on the Advances to .Settlers Bill of 1894," said Mr. Massey." lb- has forgotten to tell the public that 1 have supported every Advances to Settlers Bill since that, dale, but at that lime I was absolutely pledged on the platform of tho previous election, to oppose everything in tho way of borrowing. That pledge I have kept, and 1 have been rewarded for Keeping my pledges ever since by being returned to Parliament to fight the cause to which I have given my services. Tho pledge I gave (it is taken from a circular addressed to the electors at that time) was as follows : — 'l am opposed to any increase of the public debt, and think the time has arrived when our expenditure should be kept within our income.' That," said Mr. Massey, "was my platform, and I adhered to it during the terra of that Parliament. 1 may, by way of explanation, state that at that time I-advocated making Post Office Savings Bank funds available for the purposes of loans to settlers, as I thought then, and think still, that it would be very much better to invest the savings of the people with those on the land of our own country." " But, what," continued Mr. Massey, "has Mr. Fowlds got to say to this? In 1906 I moved the following clause :—-'Thai a loan is required for the erection of buildings on urban and suburban land, which is not subject to any encumbrance, and the cost of the erection (not exceeding £400 on the whole, and not exceeding four times the value of the land) may, in the discretion of the Board, be advanced in instalments as the work of erection proceeds.' When I proposed that, Mr. Fowlds voted against it. 1 know, of course, that afterwards the Government brought down a similar proposal, which is now the Advances to 'Workers' Act, but there is no getting away from the fact I have mentioned, that when it was moved by myself Mr. Fowlds. went into the lobby against it. 1 am quite convinced that the public of this country are beginning to realise that in the policy of the.present Government, self-interest—the interest of individuals and <party — first every time. Very little consideration is givett to the interest of the country."