THE STONEWALL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2697, 30 December 1909, Page 5

THE STONEWALL.

STATEMENT BY MR. MASSEY. Interviewed by a “'Dominion” reporter, Mr. W. F. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, said: “The position is a very simple one. -Mr. Reeves was High Commissioner for a number of years at a salary of £2ooo’ per annum, and a very liberal travelling allowance. About the end of lastyear he resigned to take up a lucrative position in London, and Mr. Hall-Jones. was appointed in his stead. Then, apparently, the Government arranged to revive the position of Financial Adviser, which had-lapsed since the deatlii of Sir Julius Vogel, and give it to Mr. Reeves at a salary of £4OO per annnm.,Parliament was not informed of this, though in the Supplementary Estimates of 190 S the item ‘Financial Adviser* appeared, but in the hurry of winding up the session on a Saturday night it was overlooked. However, it made its appearance again on the General Estimates of this year, and when we reached it I moved to strike it out, and the motion was agreed to by 35 to 25, indicating the opinion of Parliament that it did not approve of what was proposed. “The Supplementary Estimates were laid before Parliament about midday last Friday, after a lot of members had: left for their homes, and to the amazement of almost every member of the House, there, on the first page, was the identical item, which had been struck out —‘Financial Adviser, £4OO/ The Government were evidently determined to take advantage of the fact that they had a majority in a thin House, to reinstate an item which had been objected to and struck out in a fairly full House. "Whether that was a proper thing to do, the country will judge. "Whatever is owing to Mr. Reeves should be paid, to the uttermost farthing. No one objects to that, but we do object to such tactics as we have experienced in this instance, when forty odd members are being asked to reverse a decision arrived at by over 60; and we insist that the will of Parliament. as expressed on the first division, and arrived at after proper and mature consideration, shall be respected. It is not a question of the amount so much as the principle which is involved.

“It is a question now whether the country is to be governed by its direct representatives in Parliament or by the few men who happen for the time being to be member s of the Executive. It was only a strong sense of duty which induced us to give up our Christmas holidays and spoil the holidays of others, and whatever happens now we leave the public to judge as to who is right in the matter. "We are prepared to abide by their opinion.”