GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1680, 11 May 1904, Page 19

GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION

THE PURCHASE OF LANDS. The Premier supplies the fo-l’r W <rSig statement in reply to recent 'utterances hy the leader of the Opposition:— “During the course of Mr Massey’s peregrinations in the South Island, he made a statement that for the purchase of lands under the Land'for Settlements Act we were pledging the lands of the colony to the English money-lender. To this I rejoined that foil* the last two yea'rs the whole of the money required for the purchase of lands under the Land for Settlements Act bad been obtained in the colony. Mr Massey replied that it was evident that for eight .years the money had been obtained in the English money market, and that he was quite right; also that a return weald prove that he was correct- in his contention. “To save Mr Massey ‘ any further anxiety , and to show that his statements cannot be relied upon, the following information will he interesting:—Out of £4,895,000 raised to March 31st last for the purposes of land for 'settlements, including authorities under the Native Land Purchase Vet, 1892, only £300,000 was raised in London. The balance, £4,595,000, has been raised within the colony. As Mr Massey, however will probably address other meetings,' I desire to make this information public, to prevent him from making further mistakes. Nothing will give me greater pleasure than to place a return on the table of the House when Parliament meets.”