MR MASSEY INTERVIEWED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND. October 1.

Otago Witness, Volume 06, Issue 2899, 6 October 1909, Page 33

MR MASSEY INTERVIEWED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND. October 1.

One or two of the main points in the Prime Minister's recent utterances in Auckland were discussed by Mr W. F. Massey, M.P., Leader of the Opposition, in conversation with your representative to-day. " I notice," said Mr Mas.°ey, " that Sir Joseph Ward, in referring: to the 'oan of £1.000,000 that he raised whilst in London, says nothing as to the rate at which the money was raised. ' Neither have I seen anything in the cables about the loan beinc* placed on the London Stock Exchange in the ordinary way. Consequently I can only come to the conclusion that the money referred to has been raised by way of short-date debentnres, and if that is so it is a con-

tinuation of a most objectionable practice which has been going on in r,ecent years. Later on these debentures win have to be converted into inscribed stock at a serious cost to the country. We all know," continued the Leader of the Opposition, " that we must have a certain amount for carrying on our public works and other equally important matters, but I am very strongly of the opinion that when money is required the proper thing to do is to get it on ordinary long-dated debentures, and at the best possible price, without having to go over the whole business again later on, and thereby involving our finance." Referring to the naval programme outlined by Sir Joseph Ward, Mr Massey said he preferred to leave this matter over until the House met. What he was afraid of in this connection was that the Dominion's responsibilities in other directions would make it impossible for us to finance a system of national training, which he considered more than ever necessary if we were going to sever our connection with Australia, which country had itself adopted a compulsory system. The question of ocean mail services was, said Mr Massey, one of the matters in which over and over again he had pointed out that New Zealand was behind. other countries. If it was possible'*'to Bring our services ijp to date, the Opposition would give every possible assistance to the Government to bring that about.