THE MYSTERIOUS BILL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17076, 1 September 1917, Page 5

THE MYSTERIOUS BILL.

WHERE MB. McCOMBS GOT IT.

BUT HOW DID'IT GET THERE?

Per Press Association

_'. WELLINGTON, Aug. 51. In the House of liepresentatives this aiternoon, Mr. McCombs stated that he told tile Premier yesterday that he would toll him to-day where he procured the amendment of the Military Service Act, providing for the conscription of youths of 19 years/referred to by him in the House. A thousand copies or that amendment were printed wsterday in the Chnstolnirch edition ot a New Zealand'journal.

Mr. Massey: What journal? Mr McCombs: "New Zealand Truth/ He then proceeded to'complain that the Premier yesterday had «>id that a copy of such amendment could only have been procured in one way, and tliat way a dishonourable one. To this he strongly objected, and he thouo-hj the Premier should withdraw the expression.

Mr Massey said that at the time he spoke he was under the impression that Mr McCombs had a copy of the Bill m his possession. Had he known 'hewas only reading an extract from a' newspaper he would not have used the term complained of. Speaking to the matter on Thursday when he challenged Mr McCombs to say where he had got the Bill, iVir. Massey, said,: When the question 'vrnai sprung upon me the other day in the: House, I was not quite clear as to what had happened. 1 have thousands of documents passing through.--my haads as Prime Minister, <md 'it;"ls not po^ible for me to remember every one of them. But what I said was absolutely! correct. The Bitl to which th? honour-!, able genfleman refers was not dealt with by the Cabinet, and has not been dealt with by Cabinet, nor will it be. dealt with by Cabinet until we • have dealt with the Bill for the shortening of the hours of licensed houses. . °.j The Bill is not mine. I have had notb.-' ing to do with it.