HUTCHISON'S CHARGES AGAINST GOVERNMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 184, 6 August 1890, Page 8

HUTCHISON'S CHARGES AGAINST GOVERNMENT.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.

(BY TELEGBAHH.—OWN BEPOBTEK.)

Wellington, this day. Contrary to expectation, Mr "Wibhy'a mobion to relieve the Hutchison Charges Commibbee from its duties, and discharge all witnesses from abbendance, was carried bhis afternoon without a word of discussion.

On bhe House resuming ab 7.30, the Minister for Education said thab he had intended to make a sbabement afc the afternoon sitting as to fche views of the Government, but through a misunderstanding he had lost his opportunity. Briefly reviewing tho hißtory of "the" appointment of the Committee, he quoted authorities to show thab the House had full powers to give directions to a Committee, as ib had been sought bo do in bhis case. However, Mr Hubchison had reiterated his charges, and he (Mr Hislop) had asked thab gentleman to give up his Parliamentary privilege and meet bhe Governmenb in a courb of law, bub as he had nob __ responded, it seemed thab he declined. The Government were therefore in a difficulty in deciding whab should now be done. No doubb the members of the Commibbee had acted consisbently in whab bhey believed bo be bhe brue order of events and he did nob wish to reflecb upon them. Having exhausbed all ordinary means of 6ebbling the matter Government had decided to take their own course, and in doing so they would nob consult Mr Hutchison or the leader of the Opposition. Three courses were open bo them, and he hoped the House would nob ask him whab they were, bub in a day or two he would inform hon. membera whab course had been debermined upon. Mr Seddon: Posbpona till after the session.

Mr Hislop, proceeding, said he would now anticipate the informabion which would be given bo bhe House in a more complete form later on by briefly replying to some of the accusations. The iirst was bhat the Governmenb had issued £840,000 of deficiency bills at a particular bime bo fill the coffers of the Bank of New Zealand wibh coin. The facb was bhab before the presenb Governmenb took office bheir predecessors had authority to raise £995,000 worth of deficiency bills, and when the Ministry came into power there were actually £675,000 in existence. Between the time of baking office and tho following Ocbober bhe Governmenb found ib necessary bo increase the amount for which bills could be issued by £50,000. All the deficiency bills they issued wero necessitabed by bhe exigencies of bhe public service. As to bhe charge, of having eenb cerbain belegrams bo the Agent-General, Government were prepared to produce all their telegrams and defy any; body to place upon them the construction given by Mr Hutchison. Then ib was alleged that Government had foregone certain rights to advances from the Bank of New Zealand; bub the facb was thab when the Governmenb took office £600,000 was due to the Bank, and that sum remained owing till March, 1888, and then only £100,000 was repaid. There bad all along been a balance in favour of the Bank. Mr Hubchison : We know all aboub bbab.

The Minister for Education Said if thab were so, he could no- find Parliamentary language in which to characterise the hem. gentleman's language. Another allegation was thab large balances had been allowed to lie in the Bank withoub interest, while the colony paid interesb for ib. He quobed figures bo show thab up bo bhe end of lasb March bhe average amounb to the credit of the colony in the London branch of the Bank was £134,000 per day, as against £254,000 per day during their predecessors' berm of office. On bhe whole the Governmenb had supplied the Bank wibh less funds on the average than had their predecessors. Then as to remibbances home their practice had been simply to Bend money away by drafb whenever the Treasury could Bpare it in order to meet recurring interest charges. In conclusion, Mr Hislop claimed thab while Mr Hutchison had nob given any proof of hia charges he (bhe speaker) had made oub a prima facie case against their having been even near the mark. He again challenged Mr Hubchison bo forego his Parliamentary privileges, in order to allow the matter to go into Court or toacknowledgetheauthorship of bhe pamphlets he had issued contrary to the spirit of bhe speech in which he made bhe charges, and not bo avail himself of privileges which were only given bo hon. members because they knew how to use them, he pub himself in order. Mr Hislop amid cheers moved the adjournment of the House. The Hon. Mr Ballance characberised bhe action of the Minisbry in bhe Commibtee in trying to geb a direction from the Governmenb majority in the House as to whab bhey should do as being scandalous, unprecedented and unconstitubional. Mr Hislop's challenge bo Mr Hutchison was made at a time when the whole matter was before the Committee, therefore sub judice. He knew very well Mr Hutchison could not accept ib. Now the Governmenb kepb bheir three alternative courses in reserve, bo while this was bhe case bhey knew well Mr Hubchison could nob accepb the challege which had juat been thrown out, seeing that a bhreat was held over hie. head which kepb the matter still sub judice. (Opposition cheers, Ministerial laughter). If the matter were fought oub on bhe floor of bhe House, he would nob give his word bhat eibher he or Mr Hubchison musb answer bhe Government wibhoub bhe Governmenb stated the three courses. Mr Hubchison was justified in refusing to discuss the matter any further at presenb. Mr Hutchison said he was nob going to discuss ib further now, bub he would reserve whab remarks he had to make for a more fitting occasion. He would only say [ that such of Mr Hislop's figures as were 1 correct he knew before.

The Minister for Education charged Mr Hutchison with having refused to go on with his case before the Commibtee.

Mr Hubchison denied that he had any opporbuniby. He (Mr Hislop) bad offered to submit to the Council, with full particulars of the accusations, the public accounb for the last ten years before Mr Hutchison opened his case, but that gentleman wenb oub of his way bo prevent its being done, and wanbed bo go into the matter from __ purely personal considerations. He failed to undersband how Mr Ballance could give the excuse that the mabber was still sub judice as the reason for refusing to discuss the speech which had opened the present debate, seeing thab on Friday nighb, when bhe case was yet before bhe Committee, Mr Hutchison had repeated his charges in the House, and had been cheered to the echo by the Opposition. Mr Withy having stated that tbe printed proceedings of the Commibbee would be placed before the House nexb day, the motion for adjournment was negatived.