PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 254, 2 November 1897, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

A BOGUS LETTER.

Another breach of privilege case which is causing much discu&sion in the lobbies is likely to come up in the House this afternoon. It arose in the following way :— Mr Lewis, senior member for _ Christchurch, in his speech on . the Financial Statement, read a letter purporting to be signed " R. J. Seddon," which, he said, had come into his (Mr Lewis') hands. The letter pretended to be addressed to some leading shipping firm, and informed them that, as important questions were pending in Parliament regarding shipping freights and ..bonuses, it would be advisable for them to have a representative here, and as he w4s the fittest man for the'position, he hoped they would appoint him (Mr Seddon). The letter and , signature were a bogus forgery, but Mr Lewis says it was merely intended as a; joke, and accuses the Premier of setting an example by reading from a bogus prospectus relating- to a mythical Fox Exploitation Company, a skit attributed to the late Mr John Sheehan, but in this case the joker never had the audacity to attach a, fictitious signature. The worst of the affair, however, is, that the bogus letter read by Mr Lewis found its way into Hansard No. 9 without any qualification or anything to explain that it was not genuine. Meantime, the Premier saw the Speaker on the matter, and he said he could not direct the withdrawal of the letter unless with the consent of both parties. Mr Seddon then saw Mr Lewis, who treated the whole affair as a joke, but the Premier pointed out that if the letter was to go fort 1 to! the country with his signat^ appended as it appeared in Hansard al? cl ■without any explanation or denial j'WOUiobe accepted as genuine, and woyu. be c. . culated not only to deceive, bu^nj" 1"^," 18 (Mr Seddon's) reputation. ]wr Lewis then agr^2, according to the pemier s version of the matter, that the letter should be excluded, that the Punier should mform the Speaker to that -fl>ecfc ' but Mr Lewls now declares that -^c Premier never went back to the Spp^er, but himself ordered the last page o? Hansard No. 9, containing the letter, to 6e torn out by the Government printer. At any rate, that was the condition in which this number of Hansard was distributed. It is said that Mr Pirani will make this alleged action of the Premier the subject of a question of breach of privilege to-day. Seeing that the Premier is the aggrieved party, his signature having been wrongfully attached to the bogus letter by someone, I don't say Mr Lewis, most people will be disposed to ask why the question of breach of privilege is not raised by the Premier, and will think it is like adding.insult to injury for the Opposition, through Mr Pirani, to attempt to make political capital out of the incident. It is understood that the last -$age of Hansard No. 9, containing the letter, will be inserted at the beginning of Hansard No. 10, excluding the letter in question. This, it is contended, was within the discretion of the Government printer, and is justified on the ground that it affords an opportunity for correction of a misrepresentation, but the fact that a fictitious letter of this kind could be foisted on official record of debates, seeing that it was a distinct if not a malicious implication that the Premier was touting for private business and emoluments in exchange for his influence, is an example of the depth to which Parliamentary decency is being degraded, and it is still more astounding that after such silly and reprehensible tactics have been resorted to they should be defended and even made use of for further attacks on the THe'rECONSTRUCTION RUMUUKS. j^JWyi-y -~ -o authority to flatly contradict the statement that he intends to reconstruct the Ministry after the session and go Home. as Agent General. He declares that so long as the Liberal party support him, and he sees that he can be of service to the colony, he will retain his position, but as soon as he finds, that he does not possess the confidence of the country, or that he can be of no further benefit to the people, he will gladly make way for someone else. He is by no means anxious to live in England, and is quite content to make New Zealand his permanent home. A PORTRAIT OF THE PREMIER.

A capital life size portrait in oil of the Premier has been painted by Mr Tasker, formerly a miner in Grey Valley. It shows the Premier in a sitting attitude reading notes of a speech, and, though the expression of the face is somewhat hard, the likeness is on the whole very good. SYSTEMATIC OBSTRUCTION. Everything points to systematic obstruction on the part of the Opposition with the view of nullifying the work of the session. The leading Oppositionists openly boast in the lobbies of their intention to resort to every device in order to block business and deceive constituencies into the idea that the Government is too weak to carry on the business of the country. With this object Oppositiod tactics will be to move amendments' and motions on questions of administration such as the police, the appointments to the Upper House, reduction of interest iii the Post Office Saving Bank deposits, etc., avoiding broad questions of policy, recognising that several Members of the-left wing would in the latter case be bound by their election pledges to vote with the Government, and that even if ministers were defeated on such an issue they would have .constitutional grounds for a dissolution, beqaus.e the constituencies elected a majority of the House pledged to the policy of the present Government. . '

MR ROLLESTON'S AMENDMENT.

It is a'singular fact that the amendment moved by Mr Rolleston expressing disapproval of the Premier's connection with the Anglo-Continental Syndicate was tabled at the suggestion of Mr Wason, the only other member who was privy to the fact that Mr Rolleston intended to move it that day being Captain Russell. At a previous meeting of the party the question of moving the amendment was discussed, but nothing definite was decided. The inference drawn by Ministers is that the Opposition leaders could not trust the rank and file of their own party, not even their whips. This comes from reliable Conservative sources.1 ■_■ ..;

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

I have every reason to believe the Public Works Statement ahd the Estimates will not be brought down until after the general estimates have been disposed of. The order of business as arranged for today (Tuesday) will be in replies to. questions, and in the evening the Premier will make ah effort to put through a: few unobjectionable Bills with the object of providing work for the Council.