THE M'KENZIE MINISTRY

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 13673, 6 May 1912, Page 5

THE M'KENZIE MINISTRY

AN OPPOSITION OPINION

Interview with Mr F. W. Lang,

AUCKLAND, Mav 3

Speaking to a pressman in Auckland last week, Mr F, \V. Lang, M.P., aired his opinion of the present Government and all pertaining to it in no uncertain fashion. He criticised the Cabinet’s action in electioneering round the country in an attempt to catch the votes of the men on the land. If the Government was in favour of the freehold he asked, whv was it that the Cabinet consisted of three Ministers who favoured the freehold, one whose opinion on the point had never definitely been shown, and six others who were well-known leaseholders 'i Mr Lang went on to say that the attack made upon Mr Massey by the Prime Minister, in which the Prime Minister presumed to accuse the Leader of the Opposition of political unfair play in declining a pair for Mr Witfonl, who was not sworn in and who had refrained from asking for a pair, was particularly uncalled for 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, 1 lie Government, he said, only secured the defeat oi the motion on the understanding that the then Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) resigned. After assorting that the present Cabinet had not the support of the country and never had, Mr Lang added:—“l am not surprised at Mr Mackenzie trying, together with some others, to injure Mr Massey in the estimation of the people and to injure our party at the Same time, because Mr Mackenzie and his friends fear Mr Massey and fear the Reform Party ; but we know Mr Massey and trust him and wo also know Mr Mackenzie.” In conclusion, Mr Lang said that the Prime Minister talked about a dissolution, but the possibilities of the House would liai o to be exhausted before any such thing was granted.