HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8521, 28 June 1893, Page 5

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

(PBBSS ASSOCIATION , TBLEOBAM.)

Tttssday, Jtjtnb 27.

AFTERNOON SITTING.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. NEW MEMBER. Sir R. STOUT, the newly-elected membor for Inangahua, tootc his seat. THE TOTAU3ATOR. Mr W. C. SMITH gave notice to move— "That the totalisator should be abolished, and that the Government bring in a Bill to this effect." LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence was granted to Sir G. Grey for a week in consequence of illhealth. MANAWATU RAIIAVAT COMPANY. The SPEAKER stated that he had received a communication from the Manawatu Railway Company, to the effect that members' railway passes would be recognised by that Company. THE LOSS OF THB VICTORIA. Mr SEDDON feelingly referred to the great regret felt by the inhabitants of the colony at the sad news of the terrible disaster that had recently occurred in the Mediterranean, and the loss of so many brave men. He felt sure that when an occurrence of this kind took place they all greatly deplored it. He paid a high tribute to the late Admiral TryonV good qualities, but said they would have to suspend their judgment aa to the cause oi this terrible calamity. He then moved—" That a respectful address bo sent to the Governor requesting him to convey to the Queen an expression of the deep regret of the House at the lobs of H.M.S. Victoria, aud its sorrow at the death of so distinguished an officer as Admiral Tryon aud so many brave officers aud men." He added that he had already cabled to the Ageut-Geueral ou behalf of the Government expressing the great regret felt by the colony at tiie sad occurrence. ' MrROLLESTON said it was difficult to find words to express the feeliug that arose in the breasts ox everyone in cue colony at the sad news of tho loss of the Victoria. Many of them who had koown Admiral Tryon's kindly inanaer and mauly form felt that in his death they had suffered a personal loss. They were ail aware of the part he had taken in establishing a practical federation with Australia. Ho had nobly died, and they all desired to join the Empire's lamentations. He then seconded the motion,, which was carried. THE DEATH OF SIB WILLIAM FOX. Mr SEDDON said it fell to his lot to propose a similar resolution to that proposed by him on Thursday last, he referred to the lamented death of Sir W. Fox, who had once held a prominent position in the history of the colony, and who had passed away at a ripe old age. The deceased gentleman for many years had been a friend of the colony, and had on three different occasions rendered exceptional ear vices. He had also been associated with the initiation of the public works policy. Hβ waa intimately connected with the temperance movement and the Salvation Army organisations, and he had never spared uitnauif in the furtherance of any good work. ' He felt sure they all deeply deplored his loss. He then moved—" That the Houne desires to place on record its regret at the death of Sir W. Fox, K.C.M.G., and Ate appreciation of the valuable services rendered by him to the colony during a long series of years." Sir JOHN HALL, ac the member who with the exception of Mr Saundere, had known Sir W. Fox longer than any gentleman present, asked to be allowed to second the motion. He first met Sir W. Fox in England, and he was there engaged in preparing a Constitution tor New Zealand. He had afterwards been associated in a Ministry with Sir VV. Fox, and he paid the highest tribute to his many good qualities, both as a statesman and a gentleman, and also to the marvellous memory he possessed. He was also an able debater, but was ever fair, honest, and considerate in debate. Sir W. Fox had rendered exceptional service to the colony in the settlement of the Native difficulty, and at small, very small, coat to the country. The deceased gentleman had ever an abhor* rence of alcohol. When bis public position was ended his restless energy would not allow him to rest, but he continued philanthropic in every sense of the word. Any notice of Sir W. Fox, he felt, would bo incomplete without reference to Lady Fox, who was an inseparable &nd invaluable ally in every good work in which her husband engaged. He (Sir John Hall) then made a feeling reference to the passing away of so many of our great men, bub there was no one who had passed away who was so sincerely respected aa the late Sir W. Fox.. Mr BAUNDERS also, aa a very old Mend of Sir W. Fox, paid a high tribute to bis exceptionally good qualities and his eminent services to the colony. He held that, as a practical philanthropist, Sir W. Fox was well known to all in the House. Mr W. HUTCHISON added his testimony to the eminent services rendered to the colony by Sir W. Fox. The motion was carried. MR CABMAN RESIGNS. Mr CADMAN said he desired to say a few words on a matter personal to himself and other members of the House. Hon. members would recollect having received individually, about ten months ago, & circular letter, together with memoranda published by Mr Rees. Thifl letter and the memoranda contained certain very serious charges against himself as Native Minister, respecting hie being personally interested in Native lands, the implication being that be had used his position as a Minister of the Crown to farther these purchases. The memoranda contained four serious allegations. The first was that he had delayed Native legislation in the House to facilitate these purchases. The second was that he had bo manipulated or interfered in respect . to the allocation of portfolios as to retain for himself the position of Native Minister for certain purposes of hie own. The third charge was : that be had introduced the Tahoraite Validation Bill in ordor to benefit himself and another member of the House; and the fourth charge was that he had corruptly : used his influence in appointing a valuer to the district ia which this land was situated in order that a low value might be placed upon the land and thereby the revenue be defrauded* When thii communication was

referred to him by t!io Premier, it wsa of coarse privileged. It had been hie wtmtM» to have answered that communication, M»» the letter and memoranda, and ib> thjfc h« repiy might be laid before the How* BoYore he had tune to do that the who ie oi the correspondence was published. Hβ W{ immediate proceeding to vindicate i bimsoll in tho Suprtfmo Court. He read the result o£ tho trial, with the issues placed before the jury, aud choir answers. Hβ went on to iy that he ha.l found from articles that appeared in tho public press that tM fact thiSt damages had been assessed at ill reflected on his character to a certain exteut. That being so he had that morning placed his resignation as Native Minister in the hands of ihe Premier, aud it wm n« intentiou to place his version of aOfttr* before hie constituents. He regretted that the reports of tho P« cis Association on the whole of his case were incorrooa and rais» leading. The gentleman who happened to be the agent of the Press Association in Napier was one of the witnesses on W opposite side, and tliero had appeared in his paper statements which were not correct. He also regretted if he had caused any trouble or worry to his colleagues. They had known uothing whatever of his private buaiuess and, therefore, they could in no sense be held responsible for any of his actions. L , Mr SEDDON said, after the explanation of hie colleague, he desired to express his great regvet that the Native Minister felt it to Toe his duty to retire from* the Ministry. Aβ to tha opiuion formed by the colony of the late libel case he asserted that opinion had boen formed on incorrect information supplied to the papers. He referred to several cocas in which misleading information had beett telegraphed to the papers. Hβ contended that Mr Cadman had taken every possibto means of vindicating his character, and took the earliest opportunity of submitting hi* case to the highest tribunal. The finding of the jury was in favour of the plaintiff on all charges, aud it waa distinctly proved that his colleague had been libelled by another gentleman holding a high position in the colony, vis colleague, however, oon« sidered that on the question of costs then was a personal refleutiou on himself, and he had therefore rosigued his pusitiofl in the Ministry in order to vindicate himself. He felt sure that in doing so Mr Cad» man had the full sympathy of the House. Mr REE3 said that if Mr Cadman had sufficient courtesy to intimate to him that he would meet any charge in tho House he shonld not have attempted to go on with the matter, but the Native Minister had not communicated with him in any way nor shown he was ready to meet any charge he (Mr Bees) had made. He then detailed the oircumstances attonding the finding of the jury, and said the jury had asked the Judge what was tbe least amount that would carry costs. They wore fully instructed by the Judge, and then retired and brought in a verdict for half tho amount. The jury having found this, the Judga told them taojr placed him in an unhappy position, and ho asked the jury if they intended that oach party should pay its own costs, to which they replied they left tho responsibility on the Judee. Sir R. Stout theu pressed the Judge to give costs, but the Judge said bo entirely agreed with hia (Mr Reea") arguments against costs, and said he should nob certify for costs. Hβ (Mr Bees) intended to take an early opportunity to go into the whole case in the House, and. he ventured to say that if that were dooo astonishment would be felt in the public mind. Ho aaked the Premier to assist him in bringing onto the whole matter, and it would then be seen whether or not he (Mr Rees) was justified in taking tho action he had done, iie asserted that nob half the available evidenes had come out in the Supreme Court. Sir R. STOUT said he should not have risen had not hia nainp been dragged into the matter by Mr Rees. Hβ thought ha might have spared him. Ho regretted to hear of Mr Cadman'a resignation, and he thought there was nothing in the finding of the Napier jury that should necessitate suoh a step on his part. • Ho found there was an entire misapprehension in tho publio mind over this cuso. One oharge Mr Roes made against Mr Cadman was that he had pur* posely delayed Native legislation in order to benefit himself. Another charge waa that he had used corrupt influence to pass & private Bill, and a third was that in spite of objections Mr Cadnwn had forced the Land and Income Tax: ment to appoint an Assessor iv order to gob his land undervalued. Hβ (Sir R. Stout) asserted that Mr Rose had brought forward no proof whatever as to any of these ohargeft. Mr Bees said he was not allowed to bring forward hie evidence owing to 'technicalities, aud said he wished to appoint a Committee of the House to go into the whole matter, bat ho would remind the House that them was no puui»hment for perjury on thd pai*b of witnesses before a Sofoofc Committee, and Mr Rees was well aware of that, m ho himself had experience of that formerly in the case of a Napier gentleman. Hβ referred in detail to the position of the Native land connected with the recant case, and quoted from reports of tho Houeo to show that the charge of delaying legislation on Mr Cadman's part had been absolutely disproved. The whole charge of having delayed legislation with respect to this block had broken down entirely, m ifc was proved the legislation could not refer to this block at all. Tho othor oharge respecting the private Bill was also disproved. As to the appointment of a valuer, the best answer to this was that all the blocks contiguous to this block were valued in the s»mu way, and if the House had a map before it, it would coo that the whole of the valuations iti that district were fair, and they were approved of by the Road Board. He hoped that even now Mr Rees would admit tiiat ho had subjected Mr Cadman to unjust suspicion ia this matter, and would apologise for hie action. Aβ to the question of ooate, l>o pointed out that when tho jury brought in a. verdict for SI, without coats, the Judge asked them whether they did not wish to give any costs, to winch tho jury replied "No," that they wished that left in %h& Judge. The Judge theu felt, in tin* face of £1 damages, that he could nob certify to costs. Mr SCOEIE MACKENZIE said although they were all pleased to hoar Sir R. Scours voico agaiu in tho House, Ik; hold it was not possible for two gentlemen who were paid advocates in the case to give such a version as would be likely to alter tho opinion of the House. He hold, however, that two facts had been brought out clearly in the recent case. The first waa that & most serioue charge of corruption had been brought by a membor of the Mouse against a member of tha Houao and Government, The second fact was that a jury of Eaglish. men, after going into the whol * of the Facts,, found that Mr Cadman'a character had beea damaged to the extent of twenty shillings sterling. Mr Cadman and tlio Premier had referred to the misleading reports that hart 1 appeared in the paperd, but he now aaktfc* the Premier whether ho would procure. » copy of the Judge's notes anil lay tfeeta before the House, co that they could deal with tbe case impartially. Mr SEDDON said ho should endeavour to obtain them. Captain RUSSELL said, aa ono who took a political interest i« the whole matter, that the .Native Minister had done uothing to impe<s* Native legislation. He felt bouna to say this, as he held' that the reputation of a public man should be greater than the securing of a party triumph. Mr REES, in replying, contended ihafc Sir R. Stout hid not placed the matter I fairly before tho House. He was prepared to prove before a Committee of tho House that the charges he had made were justified, and he was prepared to face the verdict of the Committee. The motion for the adjournment oi the. House was lost. QUESTION , . 5 !, Replying to Mr MoOuire as to what aetiaa the Government proposed to take in ordes* that justice migbi be dome and restitution. I made to settlera for 193,278 aoree fe&kea out of the New Plymouth Harbour Endow* menfc, Mr SEDDON said no injustice had besa done in the matter. Everything had been aocording to law. Tho fullest eaqjsiry J would be made. j Replying to Mr Palmer, Mr REEVES said the fin&nc® of the colony did not warrant tho placing of ffl, sum on the Estimate* for subsidies &# country libraries. Replying 4o Mr E. M. Smith aa t® whether the Government would give %k@ House an opportunity of passing a resolution to appoint Mc JB. M. Smith, nMmba* fos K«w Plymouth, as t> OowaWejaw U

proceed to England in furtherance of the mineral resources of the colony, Mr REEVES said the Government had carefully considered the question, but they thought the hon. gentleman could not be spared whilst the poUcy of the present Government was being carried out. BILLS INTRODUCED. The following Bills were introduced :— Small Debts Prevention BilL BUI to Prohibit the Supply of Intoxicating Liquors to Children, Law Practitioners Acta Amendment Bill, Holding of PubUc Houses by Brewers Prohibition BUI, Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration BUI, Shop and Shop Assistants Bill, Cheviot County Bill. Cheviot Hills Estate Disposition Bill, Noxious Weeds BUI, Stock Bill, Land Drainage BUI, Harbours Act 1873 Amendment BUI, CivU Service Insurance BUI, Wellington City Sanitation Loan, Empowering Act Amendment Bill, Bank Account Audit Bill, Rating Acts Amendment BUI, Municipal Corporations Acts Amendment BUI, Lake EUesmere Lands BilL The House rose at 5.30 p.m.