THE COOK ISLANDS REPORT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1215, 25 August 1911, Page 6

THE COOK ISLANDS REPORT.

DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT.

• PLAIN SPEAKING. STATEMENT BY SIR J. CARROLL CHIEF JUSTICE AND PARTY •• POLITICS. SECRET INQUIRIES. .The report of ,Sir Robert Stout- on his private inquiries concerning tha Administration of tho Cook Islands was discussed in Parliament yesterday, when eoino very outspoken language was used. ;Jlr. E. A. "Wright (Wellington South) said ho had good ground for asserting that tho report.was decidedly unsatisiactory. Tho 'gentleman who made certain complaints asked for a public inquiry with evidence on oath. It was made quite clear to the Minister "in charge of the "D.opartmont Mat nothing else would be eatisiactory.. instead; tliere was a secret inquiry, and hearsay and tittlo-tattlo were taken, as evidence from everybody who liked to come and tell Sir Robert Stout his views on tho matter. It was a one-siued loport, from a star Chamber inquiry, it Would prove unsatisiactory to the majority ol residents in tlie Cook islanus and to everybody who knew aiiyimug about what went on tnere. Tno pnnuip.u gentleman who acted with tho fcuwl justice was Mr. U'aidegrave, who apparently assisted him to arrive at his conclusions. Jlr. Waldegrave was a partisan ot tne Government. According -tu newspaper reports, ho made a speech to the JNutivea, telling them to speaK treely to him, and not to listen to tnose who were opposeu to the (Government, because they womd only lead them astray, and get tnoin into trouble. -Air; Waidegrave clearly went to Rarotouga to detenu the actions of the commissioner and ot the Uovernment. Another gentleman who went to .Karotonga with tno Chief Justice was Mr. Tβ lieu lieu Tukino, a Maori chiel, whose mission evidently was to mtiunuato the Nati>e» who were naturally inclined to be afraid ?i the power of" tho Uovernment. '

Why Not Affidavits?, The report said that it was impossible to take evidence on oath under the Cook Islands laws. Surely evidence could have been taken on sworn athduvits, and thu witnesses could have been cross-examined. Tho inquiry could have been held with open, doors, as) was dona by Sir James Prendergast, when' cross-examination was allowed. The insinuation that Dr. Daweon and the others were afraid to state ■what they knew in public was most untaix and unworthy ot the gentlemen who made it. Yet even alter such a lop-sided inquiry the charges made were practically admitted by tne Ch.icf Justice, though ho belittled them. Those who read tUo repurl i,ould torm their own opinions as tu whether the charges were, as the Chief Justice said, "of minor importance.. On the question of hospital' administration, concerning which Dr. Dawspn had made certain enarges, the report contained certain letters, but instead.of giving the correspondence throughout tho later portions were merely, mentioned, and a most incorrect statement was made concerning that correspondence.' It was stated that the Resident Commissioner said in a letter of March 11, ■ 1911/ that' he had handed the correspondence to Dr.'Chesson on his arrival at Karotonga. .That, was not in the letter of which ho (Mr. Wright) i'ad a copy, and which ■ had been published. The fact was that Dr. Chesson had at that timp left Karotonga and had never returned. Tho statement made was absolutely incorrect and that was, he supposed, the strongest language he would ht allowed to use , ill the House. The suppressed correspondence showed that the reason why ]}r. Dawson. wrote to the Commissioner instead .of applying to Dr. Story was not a-discourtesy, as suggested by the Chief Justice, but Dr.: Story's refusal to' admit a patient of Dr. Dawson to'the Hospital. , The Chief Justice had reported favourably on the'drainage of the Hospital, but it might have been rectified by the time he went there.

Administration of Justice. Tho sentence of 21 days' imprisonment on bread and water, which was imposed on Solomona was practically admitted by the Chief Justice to be illegal, but he Baid that this sentence was not carried out and that Soloinona had good food. Ihat did v not alter the illegality of tho sentence. It was illegal' to sentence tho nian to bread and water, even if it was afterwards interpreted to mean champagne and oysters. Tho sentence of hvb years on .Maiden Island, whipb was out-. Bide tho Resident Commissioner's jurisdic-' nqn,' seemed to a .layman severe, as tho crime was resisting a Native constable wno was said to have used unnecessary .seventy in arresting him., Such a sentence was harsh unjust, unwarrantable, and practically illegal. The charge that accused persons' were swdrn before their pleas of guilty or not guilty, were receded was admitted by tho Chief Justice but ho, added that ho was not aware that: any injury was dono to anyone. That was ft matter oi opinion. In regard to prison administration- tho char 4 was practical f admitted and the question was whether it. was'proper' that Government, officers should take prisoned™ nutted, even in this biased report that missal was because he tried to ™t a

A Miasmatic Lagoon,

On the question of draining the Maraeqiiir.es in secret under Star Chamber iricHiods? _ In tho House last/session Dr Ie Rangilnroa had said that the lagoon was a breeding-ground, for mosquitoes, which were spreading dengue fover and other diseases. Yet the report would make it seem almost a beauty spot As to the cost, what right had the Commisnon to say it would cost. moreHhan tho ,&00 estimated by Hid engineer? Tho flimculty about improvemtnt. of nrivato lands need not have interfered with the work. Tho auditor. Mr. Twias, who was raid by the Chief Justice to havo done Ins. work well, was the bodyguard of tho Resident Commissioner. . Was it a pro-' ,per thin? to have Captain Smith's owii personal servant auditing his accounts? Mr. Twiss passed a sum of to bo Rnent on improvements at the Residency. This had not been voted by the Conncil The question aroso whether aud how if vras spent. A hundred pounds would have done the work at the Residency. Sir Robert -Stent said he did not sec any sign of extravagant .' expenditure there. The Cbifif Justice could not have known tho truth of the matter. There were ether charges to go into," but tho time limit would not permit at prescmt. He lnim\-l for another opportunity <vf dealing with this report, which was unfair, unjust, biased from beginning to end, and unworthy of the traditions associated wiHi-tlip name of the author a;nd with "■" Supreme Court Bonch. ITo moved :, '"t the report bo referred back to tho Chief Justico for further consideration. ■

ACTING-PREMIER'S REPLY. The Acting-Prime Minister. (Sir James Carroll) said he did not attach any importance- to Mr. Wright's speech. It was apparent that it was outside tho range of human possibilities to satisfy Mr. Wright for he would raise objections to any report which wa? not satisfactory to him. Tho. Government quite understood 'that it had' certain, obligations and duties in

connection with tho islands, and it had attended to them ami studied them during the whole term of its administration. There was .nothing specilic in the charges against the administration.; In his opinion tho charges were -ridiculous, and ho was; inclined to'*believe,, inspired by personal feeling on Hie part of a certain section in Karutonsa, and assisted by political feeling in New Zealand. Tho malcontents had been stirring up strife, and inquiry bad shown that the charges emanated from two or three persons. The principal accuser was ])r. Dawson. There was no doubt there had been strong feeling and very strained relations between Dr. Dawson and tho Resident Commissioner from tho day the latter- took up his duties, and those influences were the cause of tho whole trouble.

The Lack of Publicity. Tho Chief Justice had explained that every opportunity wns given lor a ventilation of grievances. The lack of publicity which was desired in connection with tho inquiry did not affect the position, lhe Chief Justice appeared to possess all the qualification's essential to the proper conduct of such an investigation. A complaint was made that the evidence was not taken on oath, but, as the Chief Justico had explained, thero was no legal authority to administer the oath ill the Islamls. Dr. Dawson bad complained that ho had not been afforded facilities for the treatment of certain patients at the hospital, but it had been shown that ono of those patients was dead before the application was delivered. He had not appeared to substantiate his other charges, and it appeared that his object had been to create a scare. The wholo conduct of Dr. Dawson showed that ho deliberately ignored all authority, as was demonstrated by his action in sending away without authority a patient who he said was a leper by a vessel touching at several islands. Mr. Reynolds had been engaged on an agreement determinablo at 30 days' notice, and when he showed that he misconceived his position by dictating to tho Commissioner, his engagement was terminated.

The Medical Services and Education. Sir James Carroll also said, the question of medical attention was an important one, and a much larger system would have to be brought into operation. The position at present was tlint a resident medical officer, Dr. Perceval, had been appointed at Karotonga. Di. Perceval was engaged on a circuit of the Islands, and a young doctor was at present acting as his locum tenens in Karotonga. Inquiries won beinj made through the High Commissioner for the services of a young doctor qualified in tropical medicine, and the intention of the Government was that in addition to medical officers at Rarotonga and Nuio Island, a third doctor would be engaged in regular visits to the outlying islands. Thu Government was also prepared to provide better educational facilities. Sneaking of tho Resident Commissioner, Sir James Carroll said that a great improvement in-the affairs ! of_ the island, had bce.i effected by .Cuptain Smith, and the. people of tho island warmly commended him and his admin- , istration. Beyond generalities, no one could or had brought specific charges against , . Captain Smith, except those of Dr. Dawspn, who was admittedly strongly prejudiced, and of. Reynolds, who had been dismissed'. from a position. lie had every evidence from tho.communications of both .Europeans and Natives that there was no general discontent against Captain Smith. The administration was good and practical, and was certainly approved by a majority of tho inhabitants. The experience of previous Commissioners showed , that it was impossible to select anyone for the position who would satisfy the whole of the community

MR. JAS ALLEN'S VIEWS. JUDGES AND POLITICS. Mr. James Allen said .that the report was unsatisfactory. The letter containing the instructions to tne Chief Justice should have been included in the Teport, for in its absence there was only casual indication of the nature oi the authority given to him. The charge against, the administration-of. justice was in effect proved, for the Chief Justice recommended that tho duties of the Commissioner and 01 the administration of justice should be separated, for tho simple reason that the Commissioner was not competent' to rtia charge duties for which he,-.had not V>em\ trained. Mr. Allen said that the matter involved a grave charge against, the Government, for it had utilised the Chief Justice for purposes for which he should never have Deen used.

Sir James Carroll: That is not fail. Mr. Allen: In his own report he sa.vs ihat he was called upon to defend the administration, of the Government. The Ministry has brought the Chief Justice upon the floor of the House. Mr. Laurenson.*. Ydu aiid your papers have brought,him upon ths floor of the House. . -.- ".. Mr. Allen: The action of the Ministry has brought the Chief Justice into the arena' of party politics, / "An Improper Thing." In criticising this report I''am attacking tho Chief Justico, aid the Government in defending him. • It is' an improper thing, and I regret that the .Government has committed itself to a policy which I consider is exceedingly wrong. Mr. Allen declared that the administration of the Cook Islands had been so lax that it did not justify the establishment .of, n closer connection with Tonga, which had been'proposed. The Ministry alone was to blame, for Parliament had insisted repeatedly that more should be clone. The position was that the Natives were getting out of hand, because'the Commissioner had not tho control over them that was.'exorcised by'the previous Commissioner. It was another instance of the taihba policy of letting things rip. Mr] Allen referred to the allegation that tho Chief .Justice had given an inaccurate version of a letter. He had made nn incorrect statement in connection with the Hine charires •——;. ■

Mr. Laurenson: Shame. The lion. G. Fowlds asked whether tho Standing Orders did not forbid criticism of a. Judge of the Supreme Court. The speaker ruled that in the present instance the Chief- Justice .was not actin" in his capa'city as a. Judge of the Supreme Court. , '. Mr. Allen: Why did.you do this stupid thing?. Did you expect'him- to whitewash you ? If you did,. you laid him npon to criticism, and you , must, expect ik'. Scope of the Inquiry. Sir .Tames Carroll said that Mr. Allen's .statement that" the -inqiiiT.v was relativtto the administration of the Government wa? misleading. The letter upon which the Chief Justice had acted was as follows -.— Sir,—Complaints have been made . against tho Administration and the Resident Commissioner at Harotonga, find the .Government will be obliired if you will undertake. th° duty of in. quiring into these complaints during your visit to the Islands to presiilo at .the trial of W. J. Wigmore for murder. I forward copies of correspendence relating to certain specific complaints and allegations that hnve been mnde by Mr. R. A. Wright. M.P.. and others. "Tt is not intended that the inquiry shall be confined solely to these complaints, but that it shall extend to all or any matters that may be brought before you which you deem it. advisable should be the subject of inquiry. M'ith regard to the conduct of the proceedings, evidence will not. of course, ho taken on oath, but the form of inquiry will bo left to your own dis'en>tion. Upon completion of your inquiries. I shall be glad if you will report the result of your conclusions th?rron, and will also furnish any suspestions with regard to the administration of the affairs of the Islands which your investigations may enable you to make." POSITION OF THE NATIVES, REMARKS BY DR. TE RANGIHTROA. Dr. Te Rangiluroa (Northern Maori) thought it was only right that Mr. Waldograve, XJnder-Secretary for Justice, should ' have gone down to Tiurotonga, seeing that the Minister himself could not spare tho time to go down. Referring ( 0 n statement by Mr. Wright that tho presence of To Heu Heu intimidated tho Natives, the speaker said he could not s?e how Mr. Wright had arrived at this conclusion. He know for a fact that it would have exactly the opposite effect. If tho Native people had_ any grievances or troubles, they would havo been only too willing to put them beforo a iwi they recognised as their own kith and kin. It had been stated by Mr. Allen that tho Natives were getting out of hand, the inference being that there was a danger of their doing something serious. If Mr, Allen had

carefully perused tho report of the Chief Justice, he would have seen an account of a meeting with tho Federal Council amongst tho members of which were tho live leading Arikis. Vα Ariki, who controlled a large portion of the population, said: "Wo know of no trouble or complaint," and ynl; Mr. -Allen snid the. Natives wero getting out of hand." Another speaker at the. meeting in question said the Resident Commissioner bad done bis best for the Natives since, he had been on tho island, and added that if the commissioner did not treat them right they themselves would take what troubles they had to New Zealand, lie himself had been in constant communication with tho late Queen Makea, and in her notes sho said they were getting on well with the Resident Commissioner, and that, he was a good man. He had a certain amount of sympathy with Dr. Dawson, not so .much with his complaints, as from the fact that he and tho Resident Commissioner should have failed to work amicably-together, and that in consequence the Maori people bad lost so good a medical officer. He had stated before what good work Dr. Dawson had dono for the Natives. When ho was in Rarotonga he was on tho best of terms with tlie various chiefs, and he did not hoar of any discontent on the part of tho Natives.

The Mosquito Lagoon. As to tho remarks made about the- hospital; continued Dr. To Rangihiroa, he had been in the hospital, a.nd it was a very fine building. When ho was in the Islands the building was not completed, and the drainage was not in, but Dr. Percevai now said that the drainage was perfect. Referring to the drainage of the lagoon, the speaker remarked that .there was no doubt that tho mosquito was the carrier and disseminator of certain forms of disease, such as elephantisis and dengue fever, but in destroying the mosquito, which undoubtedly bred in such lagoons, the question of expense had to be studied. It was no good draining one lagoon and leaving other accumulations of water where mosquitoes would breed. It was true that an amount had been placed in tho Estimates by Colonel Gudgeon for tho drainage of the Jlaraenga Lagoon, but at that time the mattor had not been gono into by the engineer. The engineer now said that instead of .£2OO, JioOO would bo required to do the work, and it appeared to be questionable whether the drainago could be done successfully, as it was stated that the bottom of the lagoon was below eea-level. If there was any hope of success this work should certainly be pushed on. .Sir. J. Stall-worthy (Kaipara) said he failed to see where any wrong step had been taken in sending tho Chief Justice and Mr. Wa'degrave down by the Government. The report of Sir Robert Stout was a very fair one.

MR. FOWLDS ON THE REPORT. "SOUND, SOBER, AND SATISFACTORY." The Hon. G. Fowlds said that it was to him a painful and 'pitiable spectacle to see tne attacks which had been made by Opposition, me libers and tho Oppositkm press upon the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Some of tho remarks made in the House that afternoon should not havo been made in any representative Chamber in the warld. He did not suppose that anybody took tho hon. member tor Wellington South very seriously, but Uβ wanted to recall a few of the statements th it member had made. Ho had said that the report of tho. Chief Justice was decidedly unsatisfactory, but, considering the gentlema-i who made the report, it was not surprising. The member mentioned had also spoken of the report as one-sided and of a 'Star Chamber" .inquiry. Ho had said that the report was nnjiist, unfair, biased, unworthy of the gentleman who made it. These and other adjectives he had applied to a report which.ho (Mr. Fowlds) ventured to say would bo pronounced by the bulk of the peoplo in tho Dominion a sound, sober, and satisfactory statement regarding the administration of tho Cook Islands. The report showed just what might bo expected in a small community—that small bickerings were magnified into mountains of enormity, The member for Wellington South had also made an. attack on tho Under-Secretary for Justice, and had described him as a partisan of the Government. Tho hon.,[gentleman..had referred to an interview' with Natives reported in th-e "Post." For once tho report which appeared in the "Dominion" regarding rho interview of Mr. Waldegravo with tho Natives was the, correct report and that which appeared in the "Post" was iniiccorate Anyone reading tho report in The Dominion would see that no justification existed for the statements that had been made. Sonio allowance had-to be made for figurative language used in talking to natives. No one who knew him would accept tho statement that Mr. Waldegrave was a partisan of the Government.

,"A Slip of the Pen." - The member for Bruce had also tried to magnify the point that a misitateinent appeared in tJie report of the Chief Justice in regard to the correspondence having been handed to Dr. Ches-son. Anyone who would carefully read the report and the correspondence would recognise that the point they tried to make so much o'ut oi ''was simply a' slip of the pen. It amounted merely to tho use, by tho Chief Justice, of the wrong tense in that particular statement in the report: What the commissioner said was that the correspondence would be handed to Dr. Clitsson..'

Mr. Allen interjected that the hon. gentleman was quoting from a paragraph which referred to February aad not to March.

Mr. Fowlds contended that the Chief Justice could not havo made this statement seriously, when, hs knew that Dr. Chesson was not in tho island to receive the correspondence. Tho commissioner could not have said that he would hand the correspondence to Dr. Cheseon. Asked by Mr. Allen if he would produce the correspondence, the Minister raid he would do his best to produce a letter to the Resident Commissioner from Dr. Dawson showing that the facts were as he had stated. The point he wished to make was that tho Chief Justice know that Dr. Chesson was not' in the island, and that it was. clearly a case of using a wrong tenst>. It showed how hard up tho hon. gentlemen of the Opposition and their representatives in- the press were when they hung on to a little slip of that kind and neglected graver itjms in the report. It was a curious thing that , they made no inquiry into, other matters, those relating to;- Dr. • Dawson, for • instance, and in reference ■ to. hospital "administration. The Chief- Justico had . properly described the charges- relating to hospital administration as,of. a minor charac-ter.-They were of a frivolous character, and had no foundation of any'kind that could reflect npon the administration of the Commissioner of the Cook Islands. Mr. Fowldg read, in order to put it .on record, a letter hy Mr. J. L. Young, in reference to the Cook Islands, which had appeared in the "New Zealand Times" that morning. If the London Missionary Society were to be relieved of the work it now carried out, either this country would have to find the cost of educating the natives or heavier taxation would haye to be imposed on the people or' the islands. He would.defy any Government to carry out the education "of the natives for anything like the cost that it was being carried out for by the London Missionary Society. The same could be said of other matters referred to by the memher for Bruce. ■ The Government had dono a good' deal to improve (he health of the- island people, but it would cost n great deal of money to provide for medical attention to the natives and yet leave much more to bo done. These islands were scattered over the Pacific, and in some instances their population was a more handful. To provide for constant medical supervision would cost an exorbitant sum—more than the people of New Zealand or the people of the Cook Islands would be prepared to pay. Mr. Allen: Will you let them die out? Mr. lwlds said the Government were sending round instructions to these people that would improve their conditions. The Government proposed to proceed along linos of general education. In visiting the islands he had been vastly impressed by the work of tho London Missionary Society. As soon as possible it should l>e relieved of the burden it now carried.

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. AGAINST SECKET INQUIRIES. Mr. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, saitl thp attack made by the Minister for Education upon the Opposition incinbors required to be replied to. Otherwise ho would not have spoken upon this subject, his time and attention being fully occupied ill the Native Affairs Committee room, and matters connected therewith.

When the people of this country took over the. Conk Islands, they took up what might be called "the AVhite Man's Burden." In his opinion, we had not done our duty to the Natives of those Islands, and had not properly taken up our re-' sponsibilitics. It was evident that there was a grent deal of dissatisfaction with tho Administration of the Islands. Numerous complaints had taken concrete form last session. He thought a pronii'o had been made that the Native Minister would visit the Islands during the recess. He accepted tho statement that it would have boon inconvenient for the lion, gentleman to leave the Dominion, while the Prime Minister was absent, as a partial excuse. He did not think the right thing was being done in appointing the. Chief Justice as a commissioner for these, inquiries. These opportunities did not tend to the dignity of the Bench. He regretted very much having to say it, but it seemed to him. that the Chief Justice of this country was far too fond of what might bo called "secret inquiries." His mind went back, in the first instance, to tho Departmental inquiry of two years ago, held behind closet) doors. Then came the case known in Wellington as "the secret case." . On top of these camo the recent inquiry at the Cook Islands. He did not say that the Chief Justice was identified with every one of these inquiries, but he was identified with most of them. During the last few days it had been his duty to call the attention of the House to another secret inquiry that was being held at Auckland. Ho felt strongly that the country was getting sick of this "Star Cahmbor" business, and he hoped that the House of Representatives would say, before the end of the session, that it must end. The Minister for Education had spoken of "the painful and pitiful spectacle pre sented by members of the Opposition." He (Mr. Massey) wanted to know from the Minister who first brought the Supreme Court Judges on to the floor of the House ?

A member: "Your colleague." Mr. Massey sail if the lion, gentleman had stated thnt his colleague had done this thing, he was stating what was not. correct. Tho Supremo Court Judges had been brought on to the floor of the Houso in the first instance by the appointment of Sir Robert Stout to the Native Lands Commission two yeirs ago. He admitted that Opposition members had not done their duty in connection with these appointments and the payments involved. Tho hon. member for Bruce and some of his colleagues had done something, and more remained to be done. He regretted exceedingly the Supreme Court Judges had been brought into the arena of politics in this way.

"Report of An Advocate." Turning to the report of the Chief Juslice upon tho administration of tho Cook Islands, Mr. Massey stated that ho had read it carefully that afternoon, and considered that it was tho report of.an advocate rather than of a Judge—the report of the counsel for tho defence. A member: Shame! Mr. Massey: Yes, I say it is a shame! A member: Shame to you! Mr. Massey reiterated" that the report wasthat of an advocato rather than of aji independent commissioner. Mr. Laurenson: That is a way to talkabout your Judges!" A member: What did you say about them last year? Mr. Laurenson: You tell mo what I said. . A member: We will tell you later on. Mr. Massey, continuing referred to the first paragraph in the Chief Justice's report. Ho stated that the three gentlemen who had made complaints lived together. Evidently he had intended to' prejudice these gentlemen in the opinion of Parliament, and of the people of New Zraland. Why, asked Mr. Massey, referring , to another passage, was there no law in the Cook Islands permitting the admiuis> tration of an oath? Tho attitude of the Chief Justice towards those residents of tho Cook Islands who had lodged complaints might be summed up in the phrase: "Dilly, dilly, come and bo killed." Those who , had refused to submit their causes of complaint to a secret inquiry had been perfectly right. He would have done exactly the same under equivalent circumstances. Tlie charges levelled at the Hospital administration bad not been trivial, in character. He quoted a statement)", bxj. the representative of one of tho best papers in New Zealand, The Dominion, fo the effect that although Dr. Daw«an charged for his services, twice as many of tho natives of Rarotonga attended at his •■iirge.ry as attended at the hospital, where no charge' was made. Mr. Massey briefly recapitulated the charges against the Cook Islands administration and ridiculed the statement of the. Chief Justice that they . referral to minor matters.

A Proper Inquiry Wanted. Mr. Massey read a letter sent to tho then Commissioner of the Islands in 190S by the Hon. Jas. M'Gowan Cat that time Minister in cha.rge of the Islands), in which Mr. M'Gowan stressed the importance to the health of the Cook Islanders of draining the lagoon at Rarotonga. That lagoon was just as dangerous now as in 1908, but nothing had been done. That day they had had a speech from Dr. Te Rangihiroa almost apologising for a speech he had made last year showing how'necessary it was to drain the lagoon. Concluding, Mr. Massey attacked the attitude of the Minister for Education in laying so much stress upon the cost of educating tho Island natives. If the London Missionary Society aud the nuns of St. Joseph could carry on this work surely New Zealand could do it without looking too closely to the cost. It was in the interests of the Resident Commissioner, as well as in the interests of other residents of the Cook Islands, that a full and proper inquiry, open to the press, shniild be held

Dr. Te Rangihiroa complained that the Leader of the Opposition bad put him in a false position; He had not apologised for his speech of last year. Since had shown, in that speech, that the lagoon was a breeding. ground for mosquitoes, an engineers report had been received. This report showed that it was doubtful whether tho lagoon could be drained, and that in any ease the cost would bo verv great. As a practical man the Leader o'f the Opposition should .; recognise that these considerations must be taken into account. . . ■ .

OTHER SPEAKERS. "BABBLEMENT OF AN ELECTION." Mr. A. E. Glover (Auckland Central) supported Mr. Allen's remarks as to the inadequacy of tho medical service. The Government had not given the attention they should have given to the Islands. He was not prepared to say whether Captain Eraan Smith was the best man that could have been chosen for the purpose, but fre-ro his communications with the Islands lie was sure that the Resident Commissioner's administration was perfectly satisfactory to the Natives, although it evidently did not satisfy all tho Europeans. Better facilities were needed for the export of Cock Islands produce to New Zealand. Mr. G. Latirenson (Lyttelton) said he thought there was.nothing in the charges that need trouble any of the members of the Hou>e. Charges of maladministration were made wherever a white race- took over the control of a coloured pfople. The people of New Zealand were disgusted with these brutal attacks on the' Chief Justice. Tho position of the judges should bo sacred. If there was a definite. ca«e of corruption, they should make a definite charge, on the floor of th& House, and back it up with evidence, but he strongly condemned the methods of insinuation employed in this matter by the Leader of tho Opposition and by Mr. Allen. Ho would fay nothing of the comments of a Tag like Tin; Dominion. Tho "Ota"o Daily Times" had very- properly reproved Mr. Allen for his criticism of Sir Robert Stout's letter on tho Hine charges Mr. Allen asked Mr. Laurenson to read tho portion of the letter containing the phrase, "babblement of an election " Mr. Laurenson read accordingly,' and when he came to the sentence, "Tlie nerz son making the charge was not at tho lime a member of the House," Mr. Allen asked: Was ho? Mr. Laurenson: No! Mr. Allen: He.was! After a little further altercation Tho Speaker interposed, and pointed out that the discussion was irrelevant.

More About Judges, Mr. Laurenson went on to say that the Opposition was beggared as to' criticism, and had fallen back on personal abuse, from which even I he Judges were not safe. The. high and mighty party nf liberty and progress was leading a. deliberate and cruel attack on the Chief Justice, though, there had never been a Jiidjjo better fitted fev his high position.

The attack would hurt nobody but themselves. Surely by this time the member for Bruce might: have got over the feeling of (ho election of twenty-three years ago, when he defeated Sir Robert Stout, and he ought now to be able to give his former opponent credit, at least for honesty of purpose. Last session the members of the Opposition had screamed themselves hoarse because the Government dared to appoint anybody else but a Judge to investigate the Hino charges. He wad from Hansard his own remarks on Judges as made last year in connection with the Iline charges. He had said that the Judges were men like the rpst, with their own party views and prejudices, but they were honourable- men. He was not ashamed of that, and would stick to it. There was precedent for the appointment of Sir Hobert Stout on Commissions. Judges had been appointed on Commissions, and paid for their services thereon under Sir George Grey and Sir John Hall. The Chief Justice could not reply to attacks, and so those who were mighty quiet when he was in polities were attacking him now.

Tho Hon. A. T. Ngata referred to the' remark of the native Paaro at a meeting with the Chief Justice that the only trouble in Earolonga . was rauEed by ''aliens" and was "a work of shame"— which he took to mean "a trivial matter." This was pathetic, and when the Leader of the Opposition was speaking of the white man's burden, ho thought of the brovii man's burden. Those who demanded more in the way of education and a public health service for tho Islands forgot that these things had to be provided out of Cook Islands revenue, and it was impossible, because the revenue was so small. The draining of the Maererenga Swamp was a desirable work, but, in view of the financial position, the Commissioner was right in postponing it. Were he a Karotongan native ho v;ould suggest to the Government tfe end tho trouble by deporting the intruders, and leaving the Rarotongans to recover their former happiness. Eventually the question might have to bo considered of severing the Islands altogether, to work but their own destiny side by sido with New Zealand, but with only a light rein.,

Respect for the Chief Justice. Whatever questions were raised, considerable respect must be paid to the opinion of the Chiet Justice. He considered that tho New Zealand Government had done a wise thing in making Sir Robert Stout a member of the Native Land Commission. H« had brought before the Maoris the questions that were agitating the pakehi mind. Nothing else that the Government could have done would have so brought home to the Maori mind the legitimate demands upon them by tho'pakelias. I'Von a Maori chief of the highest standing who had accompanied Sir Robert Stout to Rarotonga ho (Mr. Ngata) ha:l learned that the Natives of the Cook Islands had the highest esteem for the Chief Justice. He had put matters relating to these charges and other matters clearly before them.

Mr. C. H. Poole (Auckland West) saiil the Chief Justice, in his report, was not hostile to Dr. Dawson. He believed Dr. Dawson had done good work in the Cook group. Tiie member for Wellington .South had put a wrong construction upon the Chief Justice's inference to the minor character of the c.iiarses. The motion to refer this report back to the Chief Justice, if carried, would be an absolute reflection upon his integrity and judgment. Any effort at this time to discount the character of the Chief Justico would be no iTcdit to. this Assembly.

Scandal and Disgrace. Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) said experience, had gone to show that NW Zeahuiders had never yet done their duty to tho-u islands. The idea of haggling over ;t few hundreds a year for these islands was a scandal to New Zealand, and a disgrace to thei country. Ho hoped that the Native Minister would visit the islands during • the reews. lie hoped they would net have Hie scandal year after year (hat had been raised in the discussion that day. ne did not blame tho lion, members who had raised the debate, but he would not support tho motion.

Mr. R. A.' Wright in Reply. Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington South; stated that, tho Acling-Primo Minister had said that ho paid no"attention to

"tho member for the Cook Islands," and that there was nothing? in the criticism that was damaging to tho Administration. Tt was easy to make statements like this. The instructions of the- Government to tho Chief Justice enjoined that he was not to take, evidence on path. How was it that in the murder trial, when Wigmore appeared before his Honour, cvldenco was taken on oath ?

Mr. Massey: AY'as it? Mr. Wright said he (li<l not knoir, but supposed it must have boon. Again, what did tho statements moan that the Chief Justice of the Cook islands had put prisoners on their oath before asking them to nlead ?

Tho real truth about Dr. Dawson <vm that he asked to be allowed to conduct his own department in his own way. Ho had explained that he was compelled to resign because tho Resident Commissioner failed to consult him in regard to the erection of the hospital and other sanitary matters. If the charges had been properly inquired into still graver charges would have been opened up. When the Commissioner arrived—an inexperienced man—Mr.. Reynolds offered to help him, and that was the cause of tho trouble. As to what the .Minister- had said about "a slip of tho pen" in the report ot tho Chief Justice, he (Mr. Wright) could only take it as he found it. The letters that were not published would have made the matter clear. Ho would like to knowhow many more "slips of the pen" the report contained. Anything he had (lore had been done of a desire to remedy injustices, and, in the interests of people like Dr. Dawson and Inspector Reynolds, whom hu deemed entitled to a fair bearing.

The motion to refer the report back to the Chief Justice was lost upon tho voices.