PARLIAMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 167, 27 July 1901, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

CBy Taleeraph—Parliamentary Reporter.}

WELLINGTON, Friday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

CITY OF AUCKLAND LOAN

The House met at half-past two this afternoon. The City of Auckland LoaiiH Consolidation and Auckland City Borrowing Acts Amendment Bill was introduced by Mr Fowlds, and read a first time.

IMPKEST SUPPLY BILL.—POLICE

ADMINISTRATION

The Premier moved that the House »<> into Committee of Supply on the Imprest Supply Bill, which proposed to grant the following sums:—First schedule, Consolidated Fund, £300,----000; th c Public Works Fund, £150,000; Government Loams to Local Bodies Account, £10,000; Land for Settlements Account, £1000: total, £461,000. Second schedule: Government Insurance Account, £7500; Public Trustees Account, £1000; Government Advances to Settlers' Office Account, £500: total, £9000.

Mr Fisher, exercising the right of discussing grievances, moved that a Iselect committee be appointed to inquire into the conduct of the Police Department, as administered by Mr Commissioner Tunbridgc. He did not, lie said, desire to reflect on the conduct of the rank and file of the force, but the people under the direct control of the Commissioner. He instanced several alleged eases of punishment resulting in transfer inflicted for minor offences, such as talking !to a bookmaker in the .street. The Commissioner was in the. habit of going about at night in plain clothes in order to watch the constables on duty. (Mr Atkinson: "Why shouldn't he? It is part of his duties.") He also charged the Commissioner with endeavouring by irregular means to secure the retirement of Inspector Tender, and to remove Detective Nixon, one of the moat promising officers in the force, on some trilling grounds. All over the country he heard complaints by hotelkeepers of detection being used where it was not required. The existing system was nothing short of tyranny. He would like to be an hotelkeeper just for once when Commissioner Tunbridge's plain clothes men came poking their noses into the house without cause. He would send them back with a flea in their ears. He declared that Mr Tunbridge was not a policeman or an organiser of police; he had simply graduated in Scotland Yard, that hotbed of rottenness and corruption. Mr It. McKenzie seconded the motion pro forma, and in doing so said the only way of dispensing with Inspector Fender was on the ground of age. The Minister of Justice said the position taken up by Mr Fisher was to some extent a surprise. Without getting into a heated state of mind, it was only fair that the Commissioner's conduct should be vindicated. Dealing with the alleged improper removals, ho said in one of the cases specified the removal took place at the officer's own request. From his own experience of Commissioner Tunbridge's conduct and administration, he could say that he had always found him anxious to do his best an the interest of the colony, and with due consideration for the men under his control. He did not know why on this occasion opportunity should be taken to attack one officer, while another was allowed to go free. it was well-known that disputes between certain members of the force had been of long standing- In the case of Detective Nixon, his removal to Christchurch was in the interest ot his health. It was in his (Mr McGowan's) opinion beneficial m the public interest that occasional changes should be made in the stations of the police. The system of encouraging members of the force to do moral wrong in order to detect crime was no longer in operation in the colony. He dealt at some length with the cases referred to by Mr Fisher and showed that they were practicably groundless. It appeared, he said, that the member A* "Wellington (Mr Fisher) aspired lo run force of the colony, but he would not be able to run him (Mr McGowan). Ho wals not familiar with the origin of Mr Fisher's grievances bu C from,all he had seen there was nothing to sustain any inference Igaiust Mr Co.am:ssioner and there was no warrant for the lie interest. • . , Mr Millar characterised the staxe ments of Mr Fisher as unfounded and Sid that all the trouble had been caused by a sergeant who was disappointed in not being promoted to thePposition of sub-inspector instead of being appointed to the head office. An attempt was made to oust Inspector PeSr and twelve trifling charges were trumped up against Detective MrVitheford considered that the co ony had been very fortunate in the appointment of Commissioner Tunbridge, and the condition of the Police Department had never been so satisfactory as at the present time. He referred to the valuable services rendered by the Commissioner to the Imperial authorities, whose complete confidence he possessed. Mr Wilford, speaking from many years' experience of the conduct of the police, said it was injurious to the efficiency of the force that friction should exist in its ranks. He eulogised the services rendered to the colony by Inspector Pender, who, he declared, was fit to perform ten more years service. The instructions issued for the conduct of the police were admirably drafted, and the case of a constable distorting evidence was a very rare occurrence, since Commissioner Tunbridge occupied his present appointment. Mr Napier warmly vindicated Inspectors Mitchell and Pender. Mr Hanan defended Detective McGrath from insinuations made against him. The Premier strongly # deprecated bringing questions affecting the administration of the Police Department on the floor of the House, as being subversive of the public interests. The

appointment of Mr Tunbridge was made on the recommendation of the head of the police in England, who stated that Mr Tunbridge was the besfc man in the country for the position. Hon. members who extolled Mr Pender in the House were no real friends of his. He went on to show that the allegation of unfair treatment in connection with periodical removals was not justified. If the Commissioner deemed it necessary in the public interest and to the efficiency of the force that periodical removals should take place, the Commissioner must be supported by the Government. The paramount desire of the Government was to maintain the efficiency of the police ar, far as possible to preserve harmonious relations between the officers and members. They were all aware, said the Premier, of the very valuable services rendered by inspector Pender, and he (the Premier) would never be a party to any act which would ignore those services, but he could not conceive of the existence of any unfriendly feeling between the Commissioner and the inspector. Want of harmony in the force would certainly not tend to the detection of crime, the peace of the community, or the protection of life and property.

Mr. Pi rani said Commissioner Tunbridge occupied a difficult position, being between the licensed victuallers' interest and the prohibition party, but they must all admit that the administration under Commissioner Tunbridge had been the best ever known in the colony. If the cost of the Premier's visit' to England had been only for the purpose of selecting Commissioner Tunbridge the money would have been well spent. Mr. Bollard, speaking as 'a Justice of the Peace, spoke of the great improvement that had been effected in police administration under the present Commissioner. In the Auckland district the police performed their duty without causing offence, and they appreciated the Commissioner's management as judiciously combining strict discipline with fairness and justice.

Mr, Monk said the language used by Mr. Fisher had disgusted the Opposition, and the only appropriate descriptive term he could apply to it was "sewer Doric." He said there was a decided improvement in the tone and bearing of the police since it had come under the command of Commissioner Tunbridge, because political patronage in connection with the force had been discontinued.

Mr. Hutcheson said he had it on good authority that an attempt had been made to over-ride a decision of the Commissioner, but it was a pleasure to hear the speech of the Minister of Justice, and his firm determination to exclude political influence from the police force.

Mr. Lawry praised the efficiency and impartiality of Mr. Tunbridge, but denied that he was any more infallible than the Premier himself. What he objected to was the conduct of the police in relation to the administration of the licensing law. He believed the House voiced the feeling of the colony when it applauded the Commissioner's administration of the force. He had on several occasions recommended young men for positions in the police. (Cries of "Oh!") Why should not members of Parliament recommend suitable persons in the same way as they would do in private life?

Mr. McLachlan said the expression of opinion in the .House elicited by Mr. Fisher's amendment had been a blessing in disguise, because it showed that the administration of the Police Department was approved by members on both sides of the House, and greatly redounded to the credit of the Commissioner.

The amendment was negatived on the voices, and the Imprest Supply Bill was passed through all its stages. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. During the discussion Captain Russell asked the Premier to give some information as to when the Financial Statement and the Public Works Act will be brought down. The Premier said he hoped to be able to bring down the Financial Statement about the week after next, which should be appreciated by hon. members, as it would be much earlier than in previous years. . Mr Massey complained that several returns ordered by the House last session, including travelling expenses and allowances of Ministers, had not. been brought down. The Premier said the hon. member for Franklin had already moved for a return showing \ the expenses for two years up to the end of last March, and the return would be supplied. Discussion ensued on the question whether Mr Massey had carried a similar motion covering the financial year ending March, 1900, said discussion being a waste of time, seeing that the money, as the Premier suavely informed the House, had been spent. MINERS RIGHTS FEE REDUCTION BILL. The House then proceeded to the orders of the day, and Mr R, McKenzie, Motueka, moved the second reading of the aibovementioned Bill, which has, on. two former occasions, been before the House. The Minister of Mines thought the time had come either to abolish) the fees or to reduce them as proposed, in the Bill. ' The second reading was agreed to on the voices. DOMESTIC SERVANTS' HALF HOLIDAY. Mr Barclay moved the second reading of this Bill (otherwise known as Shop and Shop Assistants Act, 1894, Amendment Bill), which was before the last Parliament. The Bill includes chemlista and domestic servants in the weekly half-holiday, as provided for with regard to other occupations in former Acts. The motion was agreed to, and the ! Bill ordered to be committed on Wednesday next. TOTALISATOR ABOLITION BILL.

This is an old Bill with, a new father. The mover of the second reading (Mr Ell) reiterated the old stock arguments on the subject, v/hich practically belong to ancient history. The member for Parnell followed, and devoted himself most assiduously to the task of demolishing Mr Ell's arguments. Mr Carncross supported the Bill.

Mr Laurenson (Lyttelton) drew a graphic word picture of the picturesque scene on a racecourse, during a great meeting, exhibiting an intimate and familiar knowledge of the subject. He said outside Monaco and one Australian colony there is no country in the

world besides New Zealand that legalises gambling, quite ignoring South Australia aad Tasmania.

Mr Fraser argued that if the totalisator were abolished it would not only result in an increase of the evils resulting from bookmaking, but would reduce the standard of racing to a low level. ■ He argued that gambling in a more or less severe type waa instinctive in human nature, from the boy who played for marbles to the seasoned who participated in church, bazaar raffles.

Mr Herries said in Paris tea per cent, of the receipts from the tote was devoted to charitable purposes. The increase in gambling which, the mover had alleged applied move particularly to England than to New Zealand. Even the abolition, of the tote would not extinguish gambling, but would largely increase the stakes in bookmakiug. Another point in favour of the tote was that it could be easily kept under control. H.e would like to have some intimation from the Colonial Treasurer as to whether he is willing to suffer a loss of £ 14,000, now derived from the tote tax of one and a half per cent.

Mr Meredith referred to the reprehension of gambling from the judicial and magisterial benches, and predicted that Mr Ell would by his advocacy of moral reforms occupy a place in the foreground, while the member for Taieri would have to take a back seat. In conclusion he declared that he was consistently opposed to gambling in any form, and he would therefore vote for the Bill.

Mr Willis said the sanction of the machine was contrary to the law for the suppression of sweeps. He'warmly supported the Bill.

The Hon. J. Carroll said the spirit of gambling permeated every class of society, and those who attempted to suppress it in every form would be confronted with insuperable obstacles. It it were stopped in one direction it would break out in another. He contended that since the tote had been legalised it had diminished the small meetings, which were chiefly got up by persons who had designs on the pockets of their fellow men, and racing had been raised to a higher grade. (Mr Willis: "Yes, higher grade of gambling.") Not a higher grade of gambling, continued the Native Minister, but a more public and open style of it. There was gambling even in the House. Was gambling on the Stock Exchange interdicted? Why interfere with the liberty of a person who liked a bit of sport, preventing him from enjoying a day's picnic at the races and putting on a small stake?

MrLaurenson; "Then, why interfere with the Chinaman who plays fantain?"

Mr Carroll: Because that is carried on secretly and in dark places tinder miserable conditions, which is very different from making investments in open daylight. The people who patronised the tote did not do so in a mere spirit of gambling. He paid a high compliment to the members of Racing Conferences, who are representatives of all the racing clubs throughout the colony, and who, he said, devoted a great deal of time and attention to improve the sport and in trying to clear it of irregularities. He would support the Bill were he not confident that it would be barren of good results and lead to disappointment, because they might do away with the existing form of gambling only to open the door for far worse types of it.

Mr Gilfedder was proceeding to speak in support of the Bill when he was cut short by the hands of the clock pointing to half-past ten, the hour of adjournment, and the House then rose.