MR PAYNE'S SEAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3103, 3 September 1913, Page 5

MR PAYNE'S SEAT.

OLD HISTORY REVIVED. WELLINGTON, August 19. The circumstances under which Mr Pavne was elected to the House were again referred to by that member to-night. He said that after the first ballot the combined committees supporting the defeated candidate met and resolved to support him (Mr Payne) for the reason that he was a protectionist, a freeholder on limited lines, and an opponent of single tax. There was not one word in the resolution showing that he gave any pledge to support the Massey party. Proceeding. Mr Payne said that after he was elected Mr Massey sent his “scout” Mr Dickson, to him to sound him. He replied that he must see how things were going to go before he did anything. Later on the same scout again came to him with a result that an interview took place between him (Mr Payne) and Mr Massey. The latter tackled him in the style of a young maiden to her departing lover; “if you don’t marry me I’ll throw myself over the end of the wharf.”—(Laughter.) .Mr Massey: Do you remember your written pledge to me? Mr Payne: Have you got a written pledgejfrom me? Mr Massey : Yes, I have. Mr Payne: Will you produce it? Mr Massey: Yes, I will produce it tomorrow.

Mr Payne asked whether the pledge had been obtained at the meeting which he had mentioned. He next asked: “Had you any right to have a pledge from me^” Mr Massey : You sent it to me.

Mr Payne : I can’t tell you what I think about you in the House. He added .that no scouts were sent to him by the Liberal party. His constituents were the only people in New Zealand whp had the right of recall. “My resignation,” he said, “is in the hands of the people of Grey Lynn. If I had broken any pledges, as has been alleged, that resignation would have been handed in.”

PRIME MINISTER PRODUCES THE LETTER. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 27. This evenlpg the exact terms of Mr Payne’s promise to Mr Massey last year were made public. Shortly after midnight the Prime Minister said that a little while ago the member for Grey Lynn had challenged him to read a letter which he had received from him about the No-confidence motion. He proposed now to read this letter. It was dated January 11, 1912, and was as follows :—“ Dear Mr Massay, I only returned from holiday-making this morning, therefore have just received yours of January 6. Reading your letter in line with Sir Joseph Ward’s manifesto assembling Parliament for February 15, I may say there will be no wavering on my part in voting the Government out on a Noconfidence motion. I shall use my best endeavours to see that there is no vacillation on the part of other Labour members. . . —(Signed) John Payne.” Mr Massey said that members had suggested that the signature should be examined, so he would hand the letter over to his secretary and they could see it at his office at any time. Mr Payne, amidst laughter, said that lie had already made his position clear. He would challenge the Prime Minister to produce a single line of his in a newspaper report where he had pledged himself to Mr Massey on a No-confidence motion before his constituents (shouts of laughter). It was what a man was pledged to do before his constituents that he had to stand by.—(Laughter and “Ohs!”) That was the only thing, he repeated, that a man was called upon to stand by. After further remarks Mr Payne claimed that in law this document would be held to be invalid and illegal, because it was “ without consideration.” It had had “-no consideration” and was therefore invalid. —(Loud laughter.) That was the position at law and he claimed it was the same morally.—(Jeers.) He acknowledged finally that he had made an i agreement, but it was “without consideration.”