ABOUT A TELEGRAM.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 677, 30 November 1909, Page 7

ABOUT A TELEGRAM.

.:LOCAL BODIES' SINKING'; FUNDS; /. -Sir Joseph'. Ward- stated in■„the House 'of Kepreseutatives yesterday : that ,a . member of .the_House had "wired", , to' a county: council asking Mt, to "telegraph , to,.him to get'him' tp opposo a certain thing, - ' '.' ■■..■'Members! Oh!oh!.. WhoP ■■Name !'■';.''• • ' ■ .Sir Joseph Ward :; A: member of the Oppo-' 'lhJ°« i 't; "Ask Mr. lliue, ,tho ;member iov ( . Stratford, whether he did not do it. : Ho can- 1 not deny-it. : I havo all the facts ■ in niv possession.'- '■ : ..■-',■■•■.:■■•■.'•.*' Where did you get your informa-! . - Sir Joseph; Ward: !will you say. whether, it is true or not? •..'■,- •• . .-: i M . r: Hine! You' said ; that I:sent a telegram to local bodies. I am anxious to know; where you got the , information. . , , . - , Sir.Joseph ; Ward: You say -whether it-is ,1 true or not. ; . . . ;: ;- :' ■ ..-- ■

.: Mr; nine: T saythat it is ' - ySir. Joseph Ward said that they, had heard' a great deal abput getting information, from the-telegraph ofhee. That was a-reflection upon the honour and integrity of tho telegraph service. During the whple. feme that ho had been a Minister, no officer of tho - telegraph service hadrever imparted a singlo' wprd to him regarding'what passed through the telegraph pffice. 'I have a copy of a resolution passed by amoeting of ratepayers at Whangamomona on .November. 24,-ond- this resolutionis ,m favour^ of tho; Government's proposals in .regard to tho local bodies' sinking funds; I have also a letter which states that Jlr Hihc cemmumcated with Ithe county council advising it to oppose the Bill." - ~ :■■■'. M/rJHine: I deny that. - ■ '.' '• '- ■: Sir Joseph' Ward was;aboutHo read the letMr/ Fisher pointed out that, according to tho Standing Orders, no letter from' an outsider -making any accusation against a member could be read in the House _The .Speaker dirocted the attention of-tho Primo Minister to the Standing Order inouestion. ■ ■ .-■ . .-■■ ■ ■ ■ .. . . . M Sir JosephJVard said: tttat lie would ibt read the letter,..but would.merely state' that Mr. Jline had written to the county cbuucil advisln?r ''hi? OI)poso tho Proposal. .-:'■■.■■'■■■.,;■ : 0T d th af the Primo MiiiisU' was now shiltinp;. his (rround. ■ When tlie Bill came down h Ol (Mr. W n e) sent the Stratford and Whangaroomona County Councils each, a copy of the Bill asking thcm ; to express hn opinion .in reprard-to-thb. measure. He would liko to' have Jus letter to' the ccunty councils' prodnced, and/he thpught that the, Prime Minister should tmologisojor; his statement. ~Sir.J oseph Ward: When .thnnifissaßcs from' certain local bodies woro rehd, I auestionod their spontenoity. .1 was told that they wore qmto spontaneous,, bnt-now T hold in my hand a ■ letter stating that the member: for Stratford had communicated .with fho cpnntv conncil a'dvising it,to oppose the Bill. If tC te^l" Q m™ ■■"T^H d"i n°t send the letter, I will accept his statement. '.'■ ' ( Mr. Hino: also-. receivod: a. conv of but, tho,newKi)aper rpport Voos 1? P P OS !t° t"!^™^ "l' .'am. afraid that the letter, to the Prime Minister; contains some reflection upon me, and: I. would liko to have ■it-road. - : - ::'---/ .-•.''■';-. ;■-:'■'■;■ ■ .;>; ~,■■:.-.'';■..• ,s