HINE ALLEGATIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 113, 9 November 1910, Page 7

HINE ALLEGATIONS.

" POLITICAL PROPRIETY." THE CHARGE AGAINST MB* SYMES. TO-DAY'S EVIDENCE. WJien the Committee appointed to enquire into the allegations made by, Mr. Hine met to-day it was decided to call further evidence in connection with the charges against Mr. Symes. William T. Jennings, M.P. for Taumarumii, staled that in 1905 he was member for Egmont, part of the suburbs of Stratford being included in his electorate. The Mayor of Stratford was actually a constituent of his. Ho knew Mr. Whitlock (who at that time was manager of the Stratford Post) and for the reason that the paper circulated very largely in his electorate he felt he was' justified in assisting Mr. Whitlock to get Government advertisements — that wits to say, he . arranged an interview: between Mr. Whitlock and Sir Joseph! Ward. He did not exercise any pressure on the Prime Minister— not beyond what he had done in a dozen capes where new, papers had been started in his electorate, and where he had asked the Government to extend careful consideration to them in the matter of advertising. He regarded the letter written by Mr. Symes 'to Mr. M'Cluggage as a private document. H^ would not have made use of it in a* public way. To Mr. Myers: He admitted that Ha would not have written such a letter.. The question of its usage was, he supi posed, a matter of opinion. To the Chairman : He agreed with the opinion of the Chief Justice that tho> charge was "the reproduction of th» babolement of an election contest," assuming that Mr. Symos was not a mem- : ber ot Parliament. If he were a menii ber he would consider it wrong. WHERE WILL THE DISABILITY END? The Chairman asked witness if ha thought it was in accord with political propriety for a member of Parliament to act a& a land agent ami accept remuneration for the sale of larid to tho Government. Tne witness in repiy asked Avhether the same principle should not apply to solicitors who were members, and who wore concerned in their professional' capacity in connection, with the disposal of land to tho Government. Where was the disability going 10 end? Mr. Hanan : Would you legislate against members of Parliament, acting as land agents, offering for a prinpipal a property lor sale to the Government? — if you did you Mould limit the choice of members of Parliament. „ '. ,Do you approve of legislation along thqjle lines? — That would exclude 'such men altogether ? Yes ; that no member of Parliament! should ofiea- land for sale to the Government fox remuneration ? — No. For the reason that outside the mere offering, of a property to the Government tha matter of the- purchase is safeguarded., There is the La.nd Purchase- Boaa'd. Do you thiidv it is in accord with British propriety for ' a member to receive ! commissions far the collection of money, from the Government oin behalf of people who are not his cansti'tuents? — I would not do it myself. In reply to Mr. Millar", witness said that if a, request was made by a [newspaper to a candidate, to get Government advertisements an the eve of an election it would savour of press-urn He could not see aoiy difference between, the case of the land sge'it-member and the solicitor-member, wliere the latter got procuration fees in respect of the sale of properties. Mi\ Reed asked Mr. Jennings if i 4 would be a wrong thing fov a member to say he would do a. paper a good turn I that did him a good turn. Witness replied to the effect thai, while. it.,might not bo wuwg, it would not be advisable to put it an p&pctf. (Laughter.) Everybody kniew that tnerat was a lot of give aiud take at electltoin times. Mr. Buchanan asked witness if he would approve of the disqualification applying to members of local boditefi akor applying to members of Parliament. "Generally speaking," witness said, "I would say 'Yes. But an the case of the Land pWctoase Board the eirculn&ta»noes are different. Ssbsequeintly numerous questions wene asked on the ethics of the usage of the letter, and eventually Mr*" FraSer protested that an hour had been Wasted' on matters quite irrelevant to the oai qu'iry. A MUCH-DISCUSSED MESSAGE.) William H. Atack, manager of tho New Zealand Press Association, was asked by Sir Joseph Ward ,whether the Press Association had not rights"- under the law of New Zealand. This question was objected to, but! was. ruled relevant by the chairman. Witness said there was a Copyright Act which protected cables for twentyfour hours. Sir Joseph Ward asked a number of questions relating to the telegrams which had appeared respecting the reception of Mr. Hine at Stratford, and ih particular a long message published in tho Taranaki News, saying ,that Mr. Hine had been tendered "a magnificent reception, etc." This message, the witness said, was not sent out by the Press Association's agent. A smaller message had been sent out by the agent (Mr. Copping). If he had been the agent he would have left' the matter of the reception severely alone. He agreed wkh Sir Joseph Ward that the Press Association should not take part in the hurly-burly of politics. The instructions to agents were not to do so, and to send out n6thuig of a partisan nature. Both Mr. Massey and Sir Josepli Ward obtained admissions from the witness that they had complained of lapses on the part of the association in reference to the non-publication of certain news. Sir Joseph Ward stated that ho intended (after Mr. Hine had been examined) calling Messrs. W. C. F. Camcross, M,L.C, and Joseph M'Cltiggage. Mr. Heed said that ho would like to* have a return tabled showing the members of Parliament who, as land agents, had approached the Government with respect to the sale of any property under the Land Settlement Act. Mr. Fraser : And received payment? Mr. Reed : No, He explained that lie wished to have some data as to how; far members, \vhile practising their profession as land agents, had approached the Government. The Chairman said that the suggestion was one oil ■which the committee) would have to deliberate. Further hearing of tho charge was* postponed till Tuesday.