THE MARINE SCANDAL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 1583, 18 July 1899, Page 5

THE MARINE SCANDAL.

SERIOUS CHARGES BY MR PLRAjNI, M.H.R.

The following is the full text of the charges formulated by the member for Palmerston North, and now being inquired into by a Royal Commission sitting in Wellington : “That the Honorable William HallJones in or about the month of

then being Minister of Marine, wrongfully used his power to order that one James Jones should be examined in order that he might procure a certificate of competency entitling him to a master mariner’s certificate, whereas the said William Hall-Jones knew that the said James Jones was not entitled to bo allowed to be examined or to receive, though he should pass an examination successfully, such certificate, he not then being the holder of a mate’s certificate, and not having performed the requisite service. That the Honorable William Half-Jones, knowing that such certificate had been granted, for a long time suffered the said James Jones to retain the same without protest or taking the necessary steps to recall the same, and further, that he, on being questioned during the session of 1898 as to the existence of any irregularity in the granting of certificates in any case, denied that any irregularity had taken place, he then knowing of the circumstance aforesaid. That the said William Hall-Jones during the session of Parliament of 1898, induced one Capiain Allman, being the Examiner who had improperly granted a certificate of competency to the said James Jones, by promises of reward to make an incorrect report of the circumstances, and knowing that such report was incorrect, caused the same to be published, such report being known as ‘ Captain Allman’s first report,’ thus retarding the steps necessary to be taken to have the certificate aforesaid annulled. That the said William Hall-Jones, on or about the 26th day of February, 1899) with a view to preventing the true circumstances from being made known, sent a telegram to the Right Honorable Richard John Seddon staling that the said Richard John Seddon had had no conversation with the said William Hall-Jonea as to the said James Jones, his certificate, or anything concerning him, whereas he knew at the lime that he had received a telegram on such subject from the said Richard John Seddon, dated the 17th day of April, 1897, and such telegram of the 26th day of February was so framed as to suppress the fact of such telegram of the 17th April having been received.” “ That the Right Honorable Richard John Seddon, on or about the 17th day of April, 1897, then knowing that one James Jones had not performed the service entitling him to a certificate of service under sub-section 1 of section 34 of the Shipping and Seamen’s Act Amendment Act, 1894, endeavored to procure the issue of such certificate to the said James Jones by representing|to the Honorable Hall-Jones, who was then Minister of Marine, that the said James Jones was entitled to such certificate of service, whereas he well knew that the said James Jones was not so entitled. 2. That the said Richard John Seddon, knowing that the said James Jones was not entitled either to a certificate of service under the section aforesaid, or to a certificate of competency under the Shiping and Seamen’s Act, 1877, boasted to the said James Jones after the issue of a certificate of competency that hje r the said Richard .John Seddon, had been able to procure the same. 3. That the said Richard John Seddon, after it had been alleged that irregularities had taken place in granting certificates either of service or of competency, denied during the session of Parliament of 1898, in his place in the House of Representatives, that any irregularity had taken place, although he knew that the said James Jones had received a certificate in contravention of the law, inasmuch as he, the said Richard John Seddon, knew that the said James Jones had not performed the services entitling him to a certificate of service before described, and that he was not entitled to be examined for competency as a master, inasmuch as he never was the holder of a mate’s certificate and had not performed the requisite service. 4. That the said Richard John Seddon with a view to preventing the true circumstances attending the procuring of a certificate of competency by the said James .Jones being known, stated, in or about the month of February last, to the Press Association in Dunedin, that he had, prior to the granting of a certificate of competency to the said James Jones, had no conversation with the said Hall-Jones, and that he had not written to him, and further, that the first that he knew of Captain Jones or his examination was after a speech was made in the House t f Representatives by one John Hutcheson, whereas he at the time knew that he had communicated by telegraph with the said Hall-Jones. urging him to grant a certificate of service to the said James Jones, and was aware prior to such speech that the said James Jones had in contravention of law received a master’s certificate. 5. That certificates bad been improperly issued to certain persons named in the telegram of 17th April, 1897, sent by the said Richard John Seddon to the said William Hall-Jones, and that the said Richard John Seddon took no steps to initiate the proceedings necessary to cancel tne same.”