THE LIBERALS’ LOYALTY

Southland Times, Issue 19656, 5 October 1922, Page 6

THE LIBERALS’ LOYALTY

WHAT MR MASSEIY SAID. A FURTHER REFERENCE. (Special to the Tinies.) WELLINGTON, October 4. Duding the debate in the House to-day, the Prime Minister denied that he ever charged the Liberal Party with being disloyal. That was one of a number of unfounded suggestions which had been made from the other side of the House, and which he intended to correct on the public platforms of the country- What he had actually done was to quote the statement of the leader of the Labour Party that if the present Government was turned out of office by the Liberals with the assistance of Labour the Liberals would have to conform to ‘the Labour Party’s wishes. He had also referred to the negotiations between the Liberal leader and the Labour Party, and had stated that if the Labour Party came into power its policy would be one of socialism. Mr E. J. Howard (Christchurch South) : That is absolutely correct. Mr Holland: Hear, hear. Mr Massey: I said that the symbol of Socialism was the red flag. That will not be contradicted. A Labour member: Not a bit. Mr Massey: I followed that by saying that the Union Jack and Socialism could not exist in the same 'country. Mr Fraser (Wellington Central): Oh! That is wrong. Mr Massey (to Mr Wilford) : Is there anything wrong about that? The member is silent. Mr Forbes (Hurunui) : King Edward said we were all Socialists. Mr Massey: 1 remember kings who have said some very unwise things i and things which were distorted in a a way they were never intended to be. I know members of the unholy alliance don’t like what I have said.