THAT MISSING BILL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3179, 1 September 1917, Page 9

THAT MISSING BILL

A SERIOUS MATTER

MR; M'COMBS EXPLAINS

Another reference to the missing copy p£ a draft of a Bill to amend the Military. Service Act was made in the House of Representatives yesterday. On Thursday Mr. Massey. asked Mr. M'Oombs where he got the Bill, and Mr. M'Combs's reply was: "I'll tell you toJnorrow." ! Mr. M'Combs asked for the indulgence pf the House to fulfil his promise. His explanation was:. "Thousands of copies of the statement I road to the House !»rere published yesterday in the Christfchurch edition of a New Zealand journal. Mr. Massey: What is tho journal? Mr. M'Combs: '"New Zealand (Truth.'" Mr. M'Combs proceeded to draw the attention of Mr. Speaker to tho remark of the Primo Minister the previous day: "There is only one way lie could have got it, and that is by a "rery dishonourable method." Mr. il'Combs said that he had not noticed the statement at the time it was made, otherwise he would have asked Mr. Bpealcer to take notice of it. He was quite sure that if tho member for Grey Lynn had used this language he would Save been called upon to withdraw and loxpress regret. : Mr. Massey said that he was very glad %o have the honourable member's explanation. "Of course," he continued, ■ 'what I 6aid would not, have been said Jf tho honourable member had given us this explanation yesterday, but he gave nis the impression—certainly I was under the impression—that he was reading from '»• copy of the Bill in his hands. He feven read the marginal note. If he had Hold us yesterday what he has told us to-day, I would certainly not have imputed anything dishonourable.to the honourable member. ... But I should Jiko to say that somebody has done wrong in connection with a copy of a Bill that has got out from tho Cabinet toom. '■'■-, ... Mr. Webb: You said you knew nothing febout it. '~.'• .it' Mr. Massev. "I said nothing of the fcort. I said I knew nothing about it as h, member of Cabinet, because the Bill jiad not been considered by Cabinet. I tan remember other cases in which matters connected,with Cabinet got out. On nn occasion soon after I entered Parliament unofficial information got out from Cabinet, and the matter was considered so serious by the Prime Minis-, ter, Mr. Seddon, that he set up a Royal Commission to inquire into it. The Royal Commission went to a great deal of troulilo in the inquiry, but without much result. Suspicion rested for a very long

time on two members of the Cabinet. It was years before the matter was cleared up, and it was at length cleared up in a way not expected. I mention this to show how serious a matter it is to get information from Cabinet. At the prpsent moment I have here a document, a Bill from the Law Draftsman. If that Bill got out of my hands and into the newspapers it iveuld set tho country in a blaze. Mr. Webb: It mußt be pretty hot. Mr. Massey: It would create a wrong impression. It is a Bill to go before Cabinet for consideration and amendment if necessary. This Bill is not exactly as I want it, and I am sure that it does not convey the intentions of tho Government or the wish of Parliament. But it serves the purpose for wMiich I require it. It allows me to introduce the matter before Cabinet. After Cabinet has dealt with it and aftereu it, the Bill may come before Parliament. Mr. Fletcher: Have you only got one copy? Mr. Massev: I am only taking this as an illustration. A copy, of course, will •be furnished to every Minister. . . • The .Bill which got out was a Bill Intended to be introduced to Cabinet m tho usual way, and it would liavo been altered by Cabinet, and sent back to the draftsman to be prepared for presentation to tho House. The Bill got out before it -was dealt with by Cabinet, anu In consequence a wrong impression was created. . Mr. M'Combs pressed Mr. Speaker to order flio withdrawal of tho statement. Mr. Speaker said tnariie ftsa ' paid close attention to the statement of the' Prime Minister the previous day, and lie did not consider that the imputation of dishonourable conduct -was made directly against the member for Lyttelton."