MR MASSEY'S CHALLENGE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14450, 24 May 1911, Page 7

MR MASSEY'S CHALLENGE.

AXD UEfLY TO Hit FOWLDS. A STATEMENT DIiNIED. The statement made in Wellington on S&iurtiay by the Hon. CStorgo Fowlds, Minuter of to tne effect uhat Mr W. F. Massey, M.i\, (Leader of the Oposition) had •'appealer* to loro.gu niouey-k'iiciers t-o pvu the squeeze oil Sew Zealand," is vigorously denied by tike latter gentleman, ltererrmg to Mr Fowlds's statement in conversation with a " .Now Zealand Herald*' reporter, Mr Massev characterised it as a misrepresentation, which, lie declared, was very ol'ten •vorse than a falsehood. "Here is what j I said, word for word as reported in, Hansard/' remarked the Leader of the Opposition: —"'And I ask th© public to i think of it, recollecting the recent in- ; creases in indebtedness, amounting to over six. millions in one year, and a corresponding increase in taxation. 1 ' The quotation from "Hansard" was as follows: 4 "It is quite true that we must -have borrowed money for certain purposes, for carrying on certain works, but "jhere is a tremendous difference between running down the .Rimufcaka incline with the brakes on .with caution, and in safety and running down the incline with the brakes off, with the possibility, or I might say, the probability, of a tremendous smash-up at the bottom, and that is the risk which we should gain by by the Financial Statement the Treasurer of this country is asking the people to take. I don't believe for one minute it is possible to find the whole of the money which is required to give effect to the, proposals set forth in the Financial Statement, but I would like to . say this, that if the electors of the Dominion do not feel inclined to put the jbrake on, it will be a' good thing the country as a- whole if the money-lenders do. Let anyone contemplate the enormous borrowing proposals of the Government, and the enorxooQs borrowing proposals of some of our must important Ideal bodies. One must wonder, under such circumstances, wtat the burdens 'will be -like which in a few years the permanent i residents of this country will' be ex- | pec ted to carry." Proceeding,. Mr Massey said: " Now for- Mr Fowlds and his single tax pro-J posals. Will Mr Fowlds deny that hei lias publicly advocated doing away with the exemption under the land tax, and making the poor man, with tie very j smallest section, pay land tax? Will |

he deny that, along with that, he advocated doubting the land taxi' Does he remember supporting the bill making it. impossible lor any Crown tenant- to acquire the freehold? Does lit> remendver voting against, my proposals to make ifc easier i'or the tenants of workers" homes t-o become their own landlordsY Docs ho remember stunowalling the proposal to allow Crown tenants 10 per cent. rebate or rent r lhu.> he renumber sneering at farmer* in rnrlinmonfc? . \\ hen Mr Fowhls has answered these questions. toniiuued the Lender of the Opposition, " i have a few more, nuts f<.r him to crack. A s for injuring ili- credit 01 the country. 1 have always said it was one of the best countries on this planet, but it is cursed with a bad Government, the Government oi which Mr Fowlds is a Minister, and it must he a wonderful country when it can afford to pay men like Mr Fowlds £I2OO per annum, with travelling expenses and travelling allowances. ami .supply him with secretaries to do his work. As to my offer, it holds good, ,and the cheque i'or my share will bo forthcoming. X pay my own expenses when I go round the country. I have not drawn a peutiy from party funds for six years, tut I believe nothing would open the eyes of the people so well as a repetition of the advocacy of single tax, along with the personal abuse of myself by Mr Fowlds at Pukekolie."