THE N.S.W. PARLIAMENT AND THIS UNEMPLOYED.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 7, 9 January 1889, Page 2

THE N.S.W. PARLIAMENT AND THIS UNEMPLOYED.

Immediately before the New South Parliament rose for the Christmas holidays there was a renewal of an attempt made a lew weeks ago to throw discredit upon the Government in relation to theemployment by Governmeut of some of the "unemployed" in doing work which would increase the value of a private estate owned by the Hon. J. F. Burns (Colonial Treasurer), Mr R, Burdett Smith, M.L.A., and Mr George Withers, ALL.A. The specific charge made against Mr Burns and his two friends is that, contemplating the sale of land in which they were interested, they secured an expenditure of public moneyin making roads through their lands, thereby giving their property a much greater value than it would otherwise have had. The matter had been investigated by a select commit! cc appointed by the House, but the members of the committee were divided in thoir opinion as to the precise character of the report they should bring up. Mr Thomas Walker, M. L.A., who was chairman of the select committee, solved the difficulty which beset the other members of the committee by giving his easting vote in favour of a report which was intended to be very damaging to the Government. A discussion which has taken place in the Assembly showed that the investigation had not been quite so completo as it should have been, and has had tho ert'eot of depriving the report of some of the power it might otherwise have had.