PRIME MINISTER’S REPLY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9718, 21 July 1917, Page 9

PRIME MINISTER’S REPLY

PLEDGED TO WIN THE WAR. Mr Massey said that he did not object to the views that had been expressed, but there was one point that he wished to clear up. Reference had been made by Mr Brown to quotations from speeches by himself and his colleagues in the Ministry. Speaking for himself and also, he felt sure, for all his colleagues, ho wished to say tnat they did not go back on the views that they had expressed. (Hear, hear.; tie had been very glad to hear the views expressed by the deputation as to New Zealand’s duty to do her full share in the war. (Hear, hear.) On behalf of the Government and the people of Zealand he had practically pledged the country to do its full share in the great struggle in which the Empire was taking part, and to carry on to the end, however far off it might be. (Hear, hear.) If the country went back on that, if the people of the country did not back him up in doing all that was necessary to win the war, his duty would be clear, and he would not say what it was. (Hoar, hear.) LIQUOR TRADE NOT “SACRED.” Another term that Mr Brown had used was that the liquor trade should not be "sacred.” The inference was that up to the present the liquor trade had been protected and had not been called upon to do its full duty in carrying on the war. He said without fear of contradiction that no trade, industry; or profession in the country had been protected. The people connected with the liquor trade had been called upon to do their full share in the way of sending men to the front and finding money to carry on the war. They were no more sacred to the Government or to the people of the country than the people of Mr Brown’s profession, or the farmers, or those in any other industry.! There had been no protection for them, and there would be done. For the rest, he could only repeat, as a matter of fact, what he had already- said to other deputations on the same subject. He had had several such i deputations, one in Auckland. one or two in Wellington, and he believed one or two were yet to come. Ho thought he had the representatives of tho trade coming, perhaps the following day; and there were two more under way that he knew of. He could only tell them what ho had already told previous deputations and proposed to tell those yet to come. THE HOUSE TO HAVE A FREE HAND. The Government, he said, proposed to bring down legislation dealing with the

subject. lie did not think they cpulo brine it down for a few' days at all events —perhaps not. for a week or two. The House was at present discussing the Address-in-Reply. The debate, it stemed, would so on for a few days yet; and, as soon as that was disposed of, they must take up the subject of finance. He did not need to tell them that a very largo sum of money was required to carry on the war, and that tne money must bo found, partly by revenue and partly by loan. Me was not suggesting that there was going to be any increase in taxation. He did not want to cause any alarm. But the money would be lound. and that legislation must take precedence of everything else. As soon as that was disposed oi tuey would take up matters like that. Probably the bill in which they were interested would come first. But finance would probably take two or three weeks. When the bill came down they woiud get the answer to tiieir request. In the meantime, those resolutions would be laid before Cabinet, when the time came tor the consideration of the bill. Ho would tell them perfectly candidly and correctly that Cabinet had not yet been able to approach tho subject. Tremendous accumulations of business were awaiting the leaders on their return from England, and they had been fully occupied in dealing with those matters which had to be placed before Parliament right away. Ho hoped that they would .be able to take up the subject in a few days. Perhaps they might, 'reach it on Monday. The bill would be prepared as soon as possible, and he could assure them that no pressure would be brought to bear upon members of Parliament one way or the other, so far as he was concerned. They would have a perfectly straight run; and he hoped that the bill when it passed into latv would be satisfactory to tlik' deputation and to the great majority of the people. The Government could not hope to please everybody; but he could assure thorn that the Government would endeavour to do its dutr under the circumstances which had arisen.