POLITICAL SITUATION.

West Coast Times, 24 June 1912, Page 3

POLITICAL SITUATION.

TELEGRAMS.__

* - " —<»♦»' 1 BREEZE BETWEEN PREMIER AsD j MEMBER. cT'lliv PREMIER challenged. AND HACKS DOWN, AUCKLAND. June 19. A “ breeze ” occurred between the Prime Minister and Mr. Harris, M.P., for Waitomata, at a meeting at Albany to-day. at which Mr. Mackenzie gave a political address. During the course of his remarks the Prime Minister stated that the reason why the Gor eminent lost so many seats at the last general election was that '• slander, misrepresentation and lies’ 1 had been sown broadcast throughout the country. “ And,” ho added “ I challenge any member of the Opposition to meet me on this platform and prove that such is not the case.” At tht conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Harris rose, and asked the ptermhsiou of the chairman to say a few words. The Chairman declined to allow AH' Karris to speak, but the member for that district persisted, and for a time the atmosphere was electrical, and there were several interjections from the audience, it was explained by the Chairman that the meeting had been called to hear a political address by the Prime Minister, and for no oilier purpose. Sticking to his guns, Mr. Harm obtained a hearing am! addr; sing those present, declared that he v uld accept Mr. Mackenzie's challenge. He was prepared lo meet him on the Albany platform at any time the J'l hue -Uuiisier wished, run to refute tlr charges ~j unjustly hurl d at the Opposition.. in ivply, Iho Prime Uieider said Mr, Harris k new there was no time ! between now and the session for him lo bo present and debate tlio point. Ho had not accused Dm Opposition of cultivating slanders, bat they certainly bad been circulated, and the result of the general di ction was duo to that cause. The public mind had undoubtedly influenced against tho ox-Primo Minister in this way. TUP PRIME M INidTPi’ ON TUP SITUATION.

WELLINGTON, June 21

interviewed to-night im hi j return fiom the North, tho Prime Minister, said that lie did not helievo that any member ci' t!u> Liberal Party would g-. hack a ll tho pledge given at the hist caucus. When tho House mot Mr Massey could nunc Ids iio-eonlidcncc motion us soon as he liked. The Government Party would give a pair. Asked wha.t prospect ho thought there was el’ a dissolution, Mr. M.a C;ktiiKio .said: “ Aly view is Uiat if v.o carry the li.rst division, v.e shall nut have a dissolution, hut it we go out, then J should, say it is Die beginning of the cud.”

REPO.HM RALLY AT DEVONPORT

A PGKLAND. .June 21

The adherents of tie- Reform Party tinned cut in lores tv a rally held at Davenport 10-r.ight. The chair was taken hy Mr. W. E. Allison, and the sneakers included the leader of the Deform Party, the member for Wellington Central (Mr. E. M. I). Eishor), the inoniher lor Wellington Hnbm-bs (Mr. W, PI. I). Bell), Die nieniher fur Marsdeii (Mr J l ’. Mandur), and the member for tho district (Mr. A. 1L KaiTis). Mr. A. E. Glover, M..P. for Aiutkliind Central was also pjemi-t. Mr. Fisher, in his speech, said that at the present juncture it was impossible to criticise the Government policy, simply because there was none. The Government at tho present time was talking very loudly about tho necessity ol breaking up monopolies, hut the question naturally aroso why did they not move in this direction in the Parliament of 100C-1908, when they had a majority in the House of-48, and could have carried any measure (hey |d;ed. They wore fond also of talking of the Reform Party as a collection of antiquated 'Fork's, blaming them for policies evolved and words spoken .when many of-thci present, party were in their cradles. The party contained a young and progressive element, and only two of its members had been in the ITonsc more than '2O yea rs

1 1 poll rising to speak, MV. Massey, received something of an ovation. He desired, ho said, to reply to some of the points raised by the Prime Minister at Albany. Ho had no objection, as Air. Mackenzie seemed to think, to Ministers going about the country holed ng meetings. The more they did •so the better for the Opposition, ond is far as lie was concerned, they wore welcome to do as much as they liked. 1 ouching upon the land question, ho saii that the only definite-pronounce-ment yet made by the Premier was to the effect that upon the. death of a hind-holding bachelor, the Government would take Ids property' and snh-divide it for settlement. This was the only thing in the shape of a policy to which li 3 hud given utterance, and this in view of the fact that millions of acres

of land wore lying idle. Some of the best sons of the soil wore leaving the country in despair, and people wore showing an ever increasing tendency of crowding into the towns. The land policy of the Opposition on the other hand, was clear and definite. They stood for closer settlement and for security for tenure. (Applause). With reference to the four million loan, Mr Massey reiterated his previous pronouncement about the cost involved in raising it, and the unsoundness of the short-dated loans. Had negotiations been carried out promptly, ne sided, the transaction would have been completed before the depression occurred In (London, consequent upon industrial upheavals, and'the loan would probably have cost one per cent, less than was actually the case. The floating of the loan had injured the credit of the country, he continued, and he was sorry to see this, both as a private citizen or a public man. Had the extra cost been avoided, the money saved might'havo been utilised in building roads and bridges. (Applause). Referring to the Prime Minister’s statements regarding slander and misrepresentation Mr. Massey gave an uncompromising denial of the inference that they em-

anated from his party. He said tho Government had lost ground through putting party before country. Ho wished to know whether the Government would stand by the policy in the Governor’s Speech, and concluded with an assurance that the Reform Party would abide by their policy, straight and definite, democratic and progressive as it was, from whichever'’side of the House it came. (Applause.) The following resolution was carried:—“ That tho electors of Waitemata- express appreciation of the splendid and wholei-heartod services rendered by Mr, Massey in the highest interests of the State, its entire confidence in the Reform Party, and tho hope that during the coming cession it will receive the support of a working majority in the House.”