“NATIONALISATION”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11296, 23 August 1922, Page 6

“NATIONALISATION”

DOES IT MEAN CONFISCATION? A BREEZE IN THE HOUSE. In the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon Air H. E. Holland (chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party) called attention to a published report whioh alleged that the Prime Minister, in his speech at Foxton the night before, had stated that the policy of the Labour. Party was simply one of confiscation. Mr W. D: Lysnar (Gisborne): It ia quite correct. Mr Holland said that he did not think, or suggest, that the Prime Minister would be dishonourable enough to make use of a foolish lie of that sort. The Prime Minister knew, of course, that the party had repudiated the alleged policy. Mr Massey said that he did not want to he coupled with “a foolish lie” by the speaker or by anybody else : and he would not have it. Mr Holland: I am suggesting that the responsibility is with the newspaper in question, not with the. Prime Minister; and I put my question to the Prime Minister to give him an opportunity of denying it, so that his denial will go out by Press Association along with the report. Mr Massey: My recollection of what I said is that the. Labour Party's policy is one of nationalising the means or production, distribution and exchange, and if that is not confiscation then I don’t kno* what confiscation is. (Hear, hear.) Labour members: Oh, oh! Hon. members, declared Mr Massey, might eay “Oh, oh!” but the hon. gentlemen had admitted it. Mr Holland: The report is that you said the party had admitted it. But the party has repudiated the statement that it stands for confiscation. Mr Massey: Does the hon. gentleman deny that, as. had been «atd, hia policy is one of nationalising the means of production, distribution and exchange? Mr Lysnar: Confiscation of land? Mr Holland: No; you cannot wriggle away from it like that. . Mr Massey denied that he was wriggling away from it.