MR FOWLDS & MR MASSEY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7448, 24 May 1911, Page 1

MR FOWLDS & MR MASSEY

MINISTER DEALS WITH OPPOSITION LEADER. A CHARGE REPEATED." The Hon. G. Fowlds; Minister of Education, mado a reply yes to relay to- the statements mads by tha leader oi the. Op-, position in an interview that "he gave to an Auckland pressman at tne beginning of the week. In that inter-view-Mr Massey ,is said to have vigorously denied the Minister’s charge that be had appealed to foreign money-lenders to put the screw on New - Zealand and then proceeded 1 to ‘‘offer a few more nuts tor Air Fowlds to crack.” The cracking was accomplished by, the Minister yesterday afternoon, when, -at the invitation of a “New Zealand 'limes"’ representative, he replied to Mr Massey's statements as they appeared in the report of the interview. COVERING UP HIS TRACKS. “Yes,” said Mr. Fowids, "I have seen the statements telegraphed from Auckland regarding Mr Massfcy's call on the money-lenders to put 1 the screw on New Zealand. The interview is quite in Mr Massey's best style, tie recognises that he is in trouole over his imuscreet and unpatriotic' statement and to tries .to cover up his tracks and confuse the issue by a voluminous flow of words and quotations. . My plain charge is tnat ho ceiled on the money-lenders to put tho screw on New Zealand. The ouiy difference in Mr Massey s quotation is that he called it a ‘brake’ instead of a ‘screw.’ Listen to the actual words from ‘Hansard,’ where it is recorded that ho sard: “I would like to say this, that if the electors of the colony do not feel inclined to put the orake on, it will be a good thing, for the country ns a whole it the money-lenders do.” No comment from mo is necessary; if Mr Massey does not see and regret the enormity of that statement,' X leave it to tne intelligent judgment of the people. “And now about his wonderful discovery that l am a believer in the principle of the" sdng.e-tax,” proceeded .tne Minister- “I quite 1 expect him to announce one of these days mat lie lias discovered that Julius; Ceasar is dead! I thought every intelligent person m New Zealand knew the fact years ago. THE NUTCRACKER AT WORK. . “As for his questions—his ‘nuts . to crack,’—l will answer them like this,” Mr Fowlds went on to say; “1 have advocated an increase of tho land tax without exemptions, using the revenue so received for the remission of other oppressive taxes thrqugli me Customs, etc. And 1 have shown, as 1 did at Pukekohe, that such a proposal would mean a largo reduction in the amount of taxation paid at-present by all the small settlers, of New Zealand. I do remember, and with satisfaction too, that 1 have frequently voted in Parliament against proposals made by. Mr Massey, and it was fortunate for the farmers of this country that there was a majority in Parliament _ voting against him when he was opposing, tne passing of the Advances to battlers Act, sneering at the proposal as the setting up of a State pawnshop. I do remember condemning the attitude of some farmers in Parliament who were contending that only farmers should -be on the Lands Committee, believing then, as I do now, that .it- was desirable that the interests of.the landless workers of this country should be protected by the presence" on the committee of some of, their representatives in Parliament." In conclusion, the Minister said he would like to state that, when, a majority of the ‘ people of this 1 country thougnt that Mr Massey and his friends could give better value for their AT-’OO a year and travelling expenses than himseli and his colleagues-in the Ministry, he would be quite willing to relinquish his position without feeling envious, but, until then, ho must stick to the post ot duty.. "And," added the Minister, “when Mr Massey comes along-with some more of his alleged nuts, we will crack them for him also.” ■