MR. MASSEY’S REPLY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143785, 8 May 1912, Page 3

MR. MASSEY’S REPLY.

TO PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENTS. Per Frees Association. AUCKLAND, May 7. Referring to the Prime Minister’s speech at Balclutha, Mr. Massey said' that what Mr. Mackenzie did at Baiciutha nas to give a quotation from an anoilymous letter which he says appeared in a London financial journal, and he did not even give the name of the journal. He referred to the Prime Minister’s reply as “4 miserable quibble,” and he repeated his former reply, that any statement that any member of the Opposition attempted to injure the credit of the country in any way was absolutely contrary to fact. The knowledge that five million loan had been Hotted in London came to the House as a surprise, and outside the Cabinet, net a single member of Parliament had the slightest idea of the intention of the Government to place Such a large loan upon the money market 'at Homo. There was nothing else in Mr. Mackenzie’s speech, as reported ill Auckland, except the mere point that Mr. Mackenzie said that he (Mr. Massey) had said “a Mackenzie could ahr ays tie bought.” To this Mr. Massey replied; “It is a paltry thing in the extreme, and it is also untrue As a matter of fact, I have sent a telegram to Mr. Mackenzie as follows: * Will you give me your authority for your statement that I said a. Mackenzie could always bo bought.’ ” Mr. Massey added that’Mr. Malcolm, member for Clutha, would reply to Mr. Mackenzie at Balclutha.