WANGANUI RIVER SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 694, 20 December 1909, Page 3

WANGANUI RIVER SERVICE.

SEVERE CRITICISM. • "NO MINISTERIAL INTEREST." There was an exceedingly- lively debate in tlio House on Saturday morning with reference to a vote on the Estimates described as follows:—"Wanganui River (subsidy for steamer service), .£700.". - The ball was set rolling by Mr. Pearce (Patea), who declared that there was dissatisfaction on the part of settlers in the district. with regard to tho steamer serJ ice. H© did not - wish to see the Government take over the present service, but, in tho interests of the district, something would have to be done to havo things put on a better footing so far as the settlers were concerned. ; . "Who Owns the Service?" . Mr. Hogan (Wanganui): asserted that settlers were charged different prices for the same services. Unttf tho. district was better roaded the settlers would continue at tho mercy of the company. He strongly urged that tho company, should be requested to draw up a proper:scale of charges to fixed points, along the banks. Bushmen and settlers should receive more favourable consideration than the tourists.., Mr. T. E, Taylor: Who owns tho service? Mr.,Hogan: You are driving at Ministerial ownership? Mr. Taylor: I was only asking a question. -Mr. Hogan went on to sav that , the question of ownership had frequently been raised. Moro than once it had been hinted that Ministers had an interest in the company, and the Prime Minister had denied that he at .any rate was interested in any way. The Prime Minister should give the House an assurance that he would , get a scale of charges drawn up. . . .

"A Dastardly Lie." . The Prime Minister said he saw prior to the last election a statement in one of the country papers—and there had been an allusion to it by a gentleman who was now a' member of the House—to tho effect that' Lady Ward was a shareholder in' the company. Sir Joseph Ward added:,"lt was a dastardly lie; for,'as, a matter of fact, nono of us- own or ever have _ owned' shares' in it. Anyone is an abominable,; crawling, contemptible creature to say such a thing, cither insido or outside the House for party capital. Moro than thatthey are too contemptible to live. A similar statement, was made with reference to Mrs. Seddon, which was also ■ a cowardly lie." ' Mr. Herrics asked whether siicli a word could be used. The Chairman ruled 'tliat the word "lie" be used with reference to a statement. : • said that the word was used with reference to a member.. Sir Joseph: I never said so. Several members: Of--course you did. .

Ministers Not Shareholders. . Resuming,. Sir. .Joseph" stated that even: after it had' .denied- that Ministers were con.nectod.'.wrth . tho company -it. had. been stated that-members of their families were' shareHolders. • Ihese were absolutely * contemptible' misrepresentation,''not worthy of anyone. Ho* might inform members that tho owner of the steamers had stated that there was not even a company.. .It was like a; good. iuany : other tning9 that tho Ministers were reported i* to have an -interest in, and in regard to whicli there was not a vestige of truth iu 95 out of 100 instances. There v;as a voto of ,£2OOO for the improvement of the river, which went to the River Trust which was established for tho purpose. Of the vote of <£700, half was paid by t' l ® Postal Department'.'for riiail service, and half by the Lands Department for tho purposo of assisting the settlers-Previously the Tourist Department paid £400 for a service from Tauraarunui and Pipiriki, but it was recently discontinued, as from tho tourist point of view it was found to be unwarranted; As the steamers ran on specified days to suit the mails, ,a subsidy had to.bo paid.. If the present service were net satisfactory, the .Government would liavo to - put on their own service or acquire the present system. Proposal to Reduce the Vote. Mr. T.;E. Taylor (Christehurch North) was glad, to havo heard suoh an emphatic statement on tho: question. of ownership. It whs strange to 'find a mail item in the votes for the Lands Department, but he believed the explanation was to bo found in the fact that the methods of business so far as the service was.concerned, were so peculiar and so unfair as to create widespread dissatisfaction. He did not knovt of any service in New Zealand that . was so much criticised as, tho one under discussion. The discontent was .as' long'and'as wide as the colony. If Mr. Hatrick raised tho charges as a result of tho withdrawal of the subsidy,, the people of the district would provide sufficient funds to bring him down on his knees. • He moved to strike out the voto of £700, but was afterwards allowed to alter his amendment to provide that the vote should bo rcduccd by «C 5. Mr. Hogan (Wanganui) mentioned that in 1908 a majority of-members were in favour of State ownership of' the service. He believed that such was the case in the new House. Mr. Buick Makes an Explanation. " "The Prime Minister said'he would undertake to see if tho company nould draw up a fixed scale of charges, and he ;would also inquire as to whether it was: desirable that tho Government 6hould acquire tho servioo and report to the House next session. Replying to a question, Sir Joseph said that the statement to the effect that Lady "Ward was a shareholder in the companv had appeared in a Palmerston North paper. He added: "Mr. Buick knows all about it." Mr.' Buick (Palmerston North) said he was pleased to'have heard the Prime Minister definitely deny that hb or any member of his family had shares in the company. ' .; Mr. Hanan: Did yon repeat it? \ ' Mr. Buick: You hold your tongue. • The Chairman required Mr. Buick to withdraw the expression. Merely Repeated a Rumour. .''Resuming, Mr. Buick said he was not sure whether he made use of the statement. The air was' so thick with rumours at election time that Lady Ward had shares in the company that he might-have repeated the statement in the heat of debate. Ho was pleased to'hear-it was not a fact. Government, members: Apologise. Mr. Buick: Why should I apologise for merely repeating:a rumour? If I did make tho statement, I-accept tho Prime Minister's assurance that it is not a fact. ■The Prime Minister then, said that he would point out, for tho information of Mr. Buick, that Lady Ward had never been interested in any firm or concern. Mr. Buick: If I .did 'make use of the statement, I will withdraw it entirely. Upon a division, , Mr. Taylor's amendment was rejected by 42 votes to 26. Unfair Attacks on Politicians. Mr. Massey (later) said that lie had another word or two to say on the subject. H 0 had received more communications in regard to tho Wanganui River service than in regard to any other public matter. He hoped that the discussion that had taken place would have a good effect in regard to any future' arrangements. It was. a very extraordinary thing, he said,', that a bushinan should bo charged the same as a tourist, while a settler was carried •for a lower rate. He hoped that the Government would insist upon a scale of rates being fixed. He had hoard rumonrs that had been going about, but .ho took very little notice of rumours at. election times. "I have," he added, "been accused of every crimo in the Decalogue except murder, and I am not sure that I havo not been accused of that." " Mr. Russell: But you have never had your family attacked.

Mr. SiailwortHy..(to Mr. Masscy): Arc you apologising for tno other: follow . -Mr. Massey (warmly): If anyone ought to apologise it is the member for Kaipara. Sonic of the statements that havo been' made in the Wairoa "Bell" arc a scandal .to the whole district. Tho Chairman: This discussion'is out of order. Mr. Masscy. Yes, it is out of order,'hut 1 was led off the track. I repeat that no one in this House lias been slandered more grossly than I have boon. r Mr. Lruircnson: Oh! oh! < Mr. Massey : It is a fact. If I told members all that has been said about me it would make their hair stand on end. • . The lioni T. Mackenzie: It is only an indication of greatness.

"It Would Sot the Country in a Blaze." . Mr. Massey: havo correspondence now in my possession that would set tho country in a blaze if it were published. It is all based on rumour, and I will not give even a hint of what it contains. Mr. Witty: Then why hint at it at all, then? Mr. Massey: I am. not referring to any man in particular I am not referring to any member of the Ministry—l will say that. Mr. Hogan said that ho understood that tho Prime Minister had already promised to have a scale of charges on tho Wanganui River issued. There was. therefore no need-for Mr. Massoy's last remark 011 tho subject. _Sir Joseph Ward: Tho Leader of the Opposition says that ho has 1 communications based upon rumour. I have received hundreds of such communications, dealing, with public and private affairs, and conveying all sorts' of muondos. I havo never made any use of any of thorn, and I do not intend to mako use. of them. I do not object to any statement-about .myself, but I would feel ashamed of myself if I alluded to any member's wife. ' I would look upon it as unworthy of me as a representative of tho people. -I should be very sorry to thus refer to any man's wife, cither in or out of public life. Mr. Buick Withdraws an Apology. Later in the aay, Mr. Buick said that lie had looked up tho reports of his speeches in the Palmerston papers, but he could not find any record of any allusion by him to Lady Ward in connection with tho Wanganui Kiver service. The only referenco to the subject was a statement to the' oifect that "there ■ were pecnliar tales as to tho connection of the Government and the Prime Minister with the Hatriek Company at Wanganui." This was all he could find. . "I therefore," said Mr. - Buick, "withdraw my apology, as I did not. make the statement." Sir Joseph: I am very glad to havo the hon. gentleman s assurance, but I-would remind him that there is a statement in another report which makes an allusion to Lady Ward and not to myself. . , , Mr. Buick: I have not seen it. Sir Joseph: It appeared .all the same.