DEBATE CONTINUES

Southland Times, Issue 18963, 9 June 1923, Page 5

DEBATE CONTINUES

MR MASSEY AND SIR JOSEPH WARD. PREMIER PROMISES STATEMENT. (Per United Press Association). DUNEDIN, June 8. A statement was made by the Prime Minister in Dunedin yesterday, in reference to Sir Joseph Ward’s remarks with regard to the super-tax in England and New Zealand’s war liabilities. Mr Massey said he had not got with him any financial documents. When he got back to Wellington he wpuld take the opportunity of making public the information in his possession with regard to the operation of the supertax in England, by whom it was collected, and what rate was being paid. In the meantime he stood by the statement he had made, which he believed could not be contradicted by anyone who understood the position. Mr Massey said that when he took over the Treasury there were £27,000,000 owing to the Imperial Government which had since then been arranged to the satisfaction of both the Chancellor and the Exchequer, and the New Zealand Government, and, he thought, of Parliament. There were other liabilities for which money had to be raised, the whole of the particulars of which he could not recollect at the moment. He did know, however, that after the armistice £36,000,000 were raised for purely war purposes, for liabilities arising out of the war.