THIS DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XL, Issue 10, 11 July 1890, Page 3

THIS DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Speaker took tho chair at 2.30. The Hon. Dr. Grace moved the third readin? of the Eoraan Catholic Lands Act Extension Bill, which was agreed to, and the Bill passed. ["Left aitticg.l HOUSE OF EEPRESENTATIVES. On the Honso meeting this afternoon, Mr. Mentoath gavo notioo of a motion — That, in the opinion of this House, tbo Government, if unable at present to undertake the oxtenaion of tho Wellin^ton-Mastorton lino to Te Aro, should afford reasonable facilities to any private company which may be willing to oarry out the work. SIR. HUTCHISON'S INDICTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT. The Hon. Mr. Mitcholson moved for the appointment of a oommittco— consisting of Sir John Hall, Dr. Fitchett, the Hon. Messrs. Ballanco, Bryce, and Larnach, : Messrs. Fulton, Macarthur, Ormond, and . Seddon —to enquire into and report upon the ohargen made against Ministers last week by Mr. Hutchison. If, he said, the charges were true, tbo Go- i vornment wore no longer worthy to ocoupy tho benches ; but if they were false, Ministers were entitled to be relieved from tho imputations under which they suffered. ; Government had not yet been able to make any arrangements with Mr. Hutchison as to ' tho personnel of the Committee. They bad offered to add the name of Mr. Withy to the Committee, or to refer the matter to a Snprerae Court Judge— to be seleoted by Mr. Hutchison — and one member nominated by each side of the House, but to either of theso proposals tho hon. member for Waitotara hud refused to agree. Mr. Kerr said the Opposition merely asked that Mr. Saunders' name should be sub3ti- , tnted for that of Mr. Ormond. Ho moved, as an amendraonfc, that! that be now done, and hoped tne House would agree to it. 1 The Hon. Mr. Ballance thought Mr. Hot- ' chison was as anxious to have the oharges investigated before a Committee of the House, or any Iproperly constitflted tribunal aa the Government could poasibly be. (Mr. : Hutoßisoh— Hear, hear). But the Govern- : ment insisted on having five of their most ' strenuous supporters on the oommittco, and : had given tho Opposition the right to chooso • four. The Opposition held that the fifth '. Government nominee skould bo as impartial a map as could be found, but the Government - persisted in having all partisans. On all : grounds, Mr. Hutohison was justified in • refusing to drag a' Jndjjo of the Supreme ] Court into tho contentions of political ■ parties. The Hon. Mr. Mitohelson— lt's a question- . of honour. ] The Hon. Mr. Ballance— But it is also a ] political question, and it is impossible to ; separate the two. Whatever the deofoion • may be, it is certain to give dissatisfaotion to ono party or tho other, bo it would be a ; pity to drag a Jndge into it. For his own ; part, he (Mr. Ballance) did not express any opinion, aa he had not tho facts before him, ; and all that he wanted was to see tho question fairly tried. The Hon. Mr. Forgus said tho Government ; had approved of every name submitted by tho Opposition, but now the Opposition demanded the right to name tbo ninth man, to which tho Government could not agree. It would be time enough to discuss the mattor at length whon tho Committee's report came op, if thoro was anything unfair in it. [Loft sitting.]