MR WEBB’S “MESSAGE.”

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 5

MR WEBB’S “MESSAGE.”

RED FEDERATION TIRADE. SPEECH IN PARLIAMENT. (From Cue Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 14. The voice of " Democracy “ was uplifted in the House of Representatives this afternoon when Mr \Vebb, the newlyappointed member for Drey, made ins maiden set speech. Mr Webb has listened quietly to tne business of the House for about a fortnight, but has not benefited to the extent of acquiring the-parlia-mentary manner. His style is still that of the “Red’ Federation” chief out _ for scalps, and before his words carry weight at all it will require to be modified. Mr Webb opened with the declaration that he had a special message from Democracy, and reiterated that statement at numerous inter vale. ihe message, A eventually appeared, was that the Massey Government did not posses the mandate of the people, and before passing legislation it should secure that mandate. I his view Mr. W ebb capped with this declaration : '‘if I live tong enough to put the Massey Government out of power 1 shall feel that 1 have done a great service to the human race.” Of serious political criticism Mr Webb's speech was practically devoid. His one remedy was socialistic legislation —control by the State m every direction. . “ 1 have a message to deliver in House from the Democracy of New Zealand, particularly from tiie working classes of New Zealand,” began Mr Webb. “ 1 have listened jjatiently to many speeches here, and to my surprise I have not” heard. one word or one sentence expressing a policy that will help the people of the country.” He had heard a good deal about the necessity for reform, but nothing that would leave the people better off than they were now. For instance, the land question was an evergreen one m every part of the world. He had heard the Government boasting that last year It had taxed the large landowners to the extent of £81,030 more than they had ever been taxed before, but this was an insignificant thing compared with the unimproved values given to the squatters by the expenditure of public money. The people who desired to gel on the land had first to borrow money and afterwards exploit their children to make a living from the land. The farmers were owned bv the banks, and therefore the people should own a bank of their own and have control of the medium of exchange instead of leaving it in the hands of a dozen different firms. Ihe tanners did not receive enough help from the Government. For instance, if agricultural machinery could not be made here, then the State should have imported it and sold it at a reasonable rate. 1 he Government that would remain in office tor a long time was the Government that wouki organise a State bank. At present the farmers were absolutely owned by the capitalist rings. Mr Pearce : Oh, rubbish A Member: There arc co-operative institutions. c Mr Webb ; Well, extend them all over the country and abolish tHe capitalist. The average person was also under the heel of monopoly. Ihe small business man was in the same boat as the small farmer, and many men owned no more than their names in paint on the premises. After condemning the importation of a railway manager and urging that civil servants should have full political rights, Mr Webb proceeded to deal with “ accursed conscription.” “ If ever a Government,” he declared, ‘‘committed a crime it was committed by the Government which passed this Conscription Act. and tliat crime was being continued by the present Government which was administering the Act. He appealed to the Government to give a square deal and put its defence administration on a proper footing. Mr Webb referred to the Waihi strike for some time after which lie passed on to deliver once more his message from democracy, the present party in power, he said, was neither clean, progressive, nor humanitarian. Instead of giving Labour a square deal the Government gave it a round deal on the head to prove that it was progressive. It should introduce pioportionaT representation and the referendum. There should be no Upper House to block the Lower House. It should itself be responsible to the people. Before long the workers would have control and would alter things. The people should have a further right of recall that would ‘‘fix up” those''members who broke their pledge in order to put the Massey Government into power. The speech was listened to by a fairly full House with a good deal of curiosity and interest, which as its tone developed became not unmixed with amused tolerance on the part of Government members. Opposition members awaited the speech ■with an interest which received little pleasurable gratification, for Mr Webb made it abundantly plain that but little gratitude was to be accorded the Liberal party for the temporary alliance with his own'following which placed him in power. In one passage he declared he was ‘‘not going to uphold the policy of the late Liberal Government,” and in another outburst he stated that lie was ‘‘not going to throw any bouquets to the Liberal side of the House because some of them had manifested a tremendous amount of weakness, listlessness, and spinelessness ” in their endeavour to remain in office. Further, some of them had gone back upon the men they followed to the country. Had Sir Joseph Ward had a fair deal from the Liberal party, he asked, and he answered, “ no, absolutely no. _ In another passage Sir Webb gave his Liberal friends a further little smack. “Practically e.verv crime in the country,” he said, “can bo traced t - the mAm'miuisiimion of the Government. 1 mean the present i .overnment with the assistance oi the late G... vernment,” But the most distinct declaration that he was _ prepared to play a lone “social democrat” hand came when a Go

vernmerit member interjected, “youv’e had 21 years.” Mr Webb’s response was: Do not confuse me with them; give the social democrats a chance and they will do more than you are likely to do in a dozen years.”