ATTITUDE OF AUCKLAND MEMBERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 199, 22 August 1900, Page 8

ATTITUDE OF AUCKLAND MEMBERS.

STATEMENT BY MR NAPIER

Mr W. J. Napier forwards us the

following: —

With reference to the statement of your Wellington correspondent in your issue ot the 16th inst. as to Mr Witheford's "consistency" in voting 1 for the adjournment of the debate on the North Island Trunk .Railway, in opposition to all his colleagues i'rom the. provincial district of Auckland, I desire to say that Mr Withoford, jn common with, all the members from Auckland provincial district, agreed to act iv concert and give a isolitl vote on all Auckland questions. Jiy the Standing- Orders of the House, if a debate on a question is adjourned, thai question cannot be again discussed in any form in the House until the adjourned debate 'lias been concluded, 'in the present state of business in the Ilausc, the adjourned debate cannot come on again this session. This the Premier knew, and ho and others wanted to have no discussion on the North Island Trunk Jiailway, hence his anxiety to adjourn the debate. All this was pointed out to Mr Witheford before he voted, and it was explained to him how important it was that Auckland members should not be n-an-^'cd, which would be the effect of adjourning- the debate. Notwithstanding- the obvious consequences, Mr Witheford deliberately chose to vote against the Auckland members, and did accordingly vote for the adjournment of the debate. Moreover, Mr Witheford. at the meeting of Auckland members on the previous Monday, accepted the position 'as a member of the deputation to the Premier to urge the Government to complete one-third of Hie distance remaining to be constructed within one year, and he did not intimate that he was opposed to our agitntion.or that he would publicly give us away when before the Cabinet by saying that he. disapproved of. the deputation and the fuss, and that the Premier could be trusted, without pressure, to do justice to Auckland. I therefore said that Mr Witheford's conduct in voting as he did was a betrayal of the interests of Auckland, and I fail to see that my description of it was in any way inaccurate—(Signed) W. J. Xapier.'