THE OPPOSITION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2335, 30 October 1908, Page 5

THE OPPOSITION.

INTERVIEW WITH MR. MASSEY. REPLY TO GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS. [Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. Mr Massey, Leader of the Opposition, arrived in Wellington this evening and caught tlie ferry .steamer for Lyttelton at 8 o’clock. He will deliver some addresses- in the south and -return to Wellington oil iSunday. He is greatly pleased with they result of bis North Island campaign,'which up to tlie present has been successful even beyond expectations. Everywhere. lie has- spoken to crowded audiences and his rception both on and off the platform has been enthusiastic. Asked what bo thought about tho date of the election being fixed for November 17, Mr Massey said' it ■was most unfair and improper to fix such an early date, after they had been informed' by Ministers that the elections would not take place before the end of November at the very earliest. By their action the Government had made it impossible for many candidates to get round the large electorates. “I can only come to the conclusion,” said -Mr Massey, “that it is the gag in -another form.” In reply to a question about a possible strengthening of tho Opposition in the new Parliament, Mr Massey said that opinions were being very freely expressed throughout the country, and even by many supporters of the late Seddon administration, that tho present Cabinet is a weak-kneed one. “The idea,” he said, “is becoming pretty general that there are too many faddists in the Cabinet, while it is*also pointed out that all the faddists are on the Government side in politics. Not only is that the case, but we find new Government candidates, like Mr McLean .who has the hall-mark for "Wellington East, only last night telling hi® audience frankly that lie was a state socialist, and that he would even go the length of establishing a State Bank, ilt is no wonder, therefore, that a great many people are coming to the conclusion that it is becoming absolutely necessary that the Opposition Party in Paiiliament should be strengthened. Undoubtedly that will be the result of the coming election.” “What about your own electorate.”

“Oh,” replied the leader of the Opposition, “the usual -attempt is being made to bribe the electorate with its own money, but I have been faithful to Franklin for about twelve years, and I know that Franklin will remain faithful to me.” Asked if he had .noticed the comments made bv Mr Wilford in liis recent speech, Mr Massey said that he had, but he was inclined to think that Mr Wilford’s political principle® were only skin deep, therefore anything he might have to sav need- not he taken quite seriously. He appeared to have cpiotod a. statement made by Mr Hardy, who, ho said, was the Opposition whip. No doubt Mr Wilford referred to him as tlie Opposition. whip to give the statement more weight, for Mr "Wilford ail listknow perfectly well that Mr Hardy, though one of the most respected and useful! members of tlie party, was not and never hid been an Opposition whip. Moreover he (Mr. Massey) had no doubt that the statement attributed to Mr Hardy, if made at all, was made jocularly. Mr Wilford had also been criticised by Mr James Allen. In this connection it was interesting to note that the men. who wore providing material for the Government candidates had to go back fifteen years to find any flaw in Air Jas. Allen’s armour. He (Mr. Massey) ventntqd to siw that it was liardly necessary to go back fifteen years or fifteen months to find a flaw in Mr Wilford’sjarmour. Mr Wilford bad also quoted the schedule of relief works in 1.887, and endeavored to make out that the present Oppostiion was responsible for what occurred then. The fact of the matter, however, and Mr Wilford knew it, was that the colony was on the verge of bankruptcy then, and the Atkinson Government had to retrench in every possible nay. Even the late Mr Seddon, who was in the house at the time, approved of wliat iSir Harry Atkinson had done, and went so far as to state that on the relief works no man should have the opportunity of earning more than 4s or os per day. The point, however, was that tlie present Opposition was being misrepresented by Mr Wilford, and by others. They were not responsible for what occurred at the time, neither wa«s Sir Harry Atkinson. It was a legacy from the previous Liberal administration.

In reply to the question : “AYlmt about that machine-made speech for tho Government candidates?” Air. Aiassey said: “I have a- copy of it in. my bag now. and further, J have with me sheets of an immense amount of literature that is being forwarded from AVellington in the interests of the Government Candidates. Tlie curious tiling about it is that this printed matter bears no imprint upon it. It would be interesting to know where it is printed and who is paying for it-”