Harsh Words

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 179, 30 August 1929, Page 6

Harsh Words

From Our Special Parliamentary Reporter.

MR SAMUEL IN .ARMS Severe Castigation Of Mr Polson "POLITICAL BRIC=A=BRAC"

WELLINGTON, This day. Severe castigation of Alr AV. J. Polson, tlie member for Stratford, for betraying tlie farmers in regard to taxation prqposaJs was feature of Alr A. Al. Samuel' s speecli in the I llou'se of Representatives, last night. ! He said that he had expeeted to hear Afr Polson, as president of the New i Zealand Farmers' Union, denounce the | Budget. He had said that the farmers ! would aecept what lie did in tlie House. ' Why had he betraved the farmers and let them down ? The duty of the farmers' represeutative was to advocate legislation m their iuterests." Why had he swallowed the taxation proposals of the Government? It Would be interesting to watoh the member for Stratford in future. Alr Samuel suggested that a bargain had been driven between Alr Polson and the Government. Tt would he interesting -to see who was the next chairniau of the Aleat Board or tlie next Higli Commissioner. "But I tliink that would be - too terrible for the country," said Alr Samuel amidst laugliter.Afr Polson had also stooped to make religious references for tlie first time in. the history of the House. Alr Polson : Oli, rubbish. Alr Samuel : Well, I ara looking at it now. (LanghTer) . He described the member for Stratford as a man facing botli ways, a gentleman with two faces and two voices. Tlie " farmers should he thorouglily ashained of him. % Alr Speaker called 011 Afr Samuel to withdraw that remark. Afr Samuel complied and substituted tlie word "disappointed." He said Afr Polson had been a tragic joke. He came into tbe House as a veritable "Jack the Giant Killer" on hchalf of the farmers and had deteriorated into a piece of political bric-a-hrac that could not stand up between the forces of self-ag-grandisement and conscience. He had perished and had become instead of "Jack tbe Giant Killer" a "Humpty Dumpty," Afr Samuel quoted a wellknown nursery rliyme, concluding, amidst laughter, with the words, "Quoth the raven never more."