SPARRING IN HOUSE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1935, Page 7

SPARRING IN HOUSE

MR. COATES AND MR. POLSON.

(By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. Another round in the series of battles that have been fought between the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, and Mr. W. J. Polson over the Mortgage Corporation Bill was staged in the House of Representatives last night, when the combatants crossed swords over an allegation concerning “caucus secrets.” Mr. Coates Said Mr. Polson had listened to statements made in the caucus and made use of them. Mr. Polson: The suggestion that I have repeated anything from the caucus is not correct. It is absolutely unfair for the Minister to make that statement. Mr. Coates: You have accused me of not knowing Where I am. I know where I am, all right. Mr. Polson said the statement that he had made use of caucus discussions was beneath the Minister. Mr. Coates said that if he had done Mr. Polson an injustice he would apologise. Mr. Polson said he did not believe 'the Minister of Finance had intended to be offensive to him. The Minister could not help It. “HO has got into the habit of having his own way so much that when anybody puts up a contrary opinion he gets annoyed,” said Mr. Polson. “Why doesn’t he get a'nnoyed with somebody else? Frankly I am getting tired of it; it’s getting monotonous.” Mr. Polson said he was sorry the Minister had inferred that he (Mr. Pokon) had been guilty of the most heinous of all crimes. Nothing could be worse than a man revealing caucus secrets. “I didn’t attend to-day’s caucus SO I can’t be charged with that,” he added. "I want to tell him that I have not been guilty of anything of that kind in the course of my existence.” Mr. Polson said that a few years ago the Minister had strongly supported a co-operative plan for dealing with farm finance, and to-day he was in favour of share capital. “Isn’t that a complete somersault?” he asked. He said the attempt that had been made to belittle him was beneath the action of a Minister of Finance and a former Prime Minister. Mr. Polson said he had told Mr. Coates and the Prime Minister where he stood in connection with the Bill; yet in spite of that Mr. Coates still attempted to tell the House that he (Mr. Polson) was one who was wobbling and going round the mulberry bush. . ~ “I want to protest against this sparring between Mr. Polson and Mr. Coates,’ said Mr. D. McDougall (Ind., Mataura). “We came here to do the business of the country, and it seems ridiculous that we should" waste time with these two gentle-