THEY FEAR THE REFORM PARTY

West Coast Times, 4 May 1912, Page 4

THEY FEAR THE REFORM PARTY

MR. LANG REPLIES TO THE PREMIER. i PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT J AUCKLAND, May 3. At the request of Hie Leader of the Opposition, Mr, F. W. Lang, ALP., today replied to the recent utterances of Ministers when interviewed. Mr. Lang said the Prime Minister was touring the country, carefully cultivating the idea that the present Cabinet. in general and ho (the Prime Minister) in particular, were devoted to the interests of the farmer. Mr. Mackenzie omitted to correct the impression that he himself was a farmer. Mr. Lang said Mr. Mackenzie was not a far mor and never had been a farmer. If the Prime Minister was so solicitious for the welfare of farmers and the interests of freeholders, why was it that when ho had the opportunity of forming a Cabinet ho excluded farmers from it 3 Mr. Lang said the Government attempted to lend the public to think that the vote of want of confidence moved by Mr. Massey was lost by the reading of a letter by Mr. Massey. The only tiling that saved the Government was the promise of Sir Joseph

Ward to resign. The attack made upon Air. Massey by the Prime Minister in which the Prime Minister presumed to accuse the Loader of the Opposition of political unfair play in declining a pair for Air Wilford who was not sworn in and who had refrained from asking for a pair, was, remarked Air. Lang, particularly uncalled for, in view of the wire-pulling indulged in to defeat the no-conliflcnco motion, and in view of the fact that the Government elected to take office by virtue of the support of two men who bad promised to vote for the motion.

Air. Lang went on to say that the Premier, in Christchurch, tried to tell the public that the present Cabinet bad the support of the country. It had not and never had. The Reform Party required none of the Premier’s advice, and had a thorough appreciation of its leader. “I am not surprised n6 Mr. Mackenzie,” added Air. Lang, ‘‘trying, together with some other,-, to injure Air. M'assoy in the estimation of the people, and to injure our party at the same lime, because Mr. Mackenzie and his friends fear Air. Alasscy and fear the Reform Party, but wo know Mr. AJassoy and trust him and wo also know Air Al'ackonxic.”